A Kano High Court on Friday discharged and acquitted Francis Obodu charged with armed robbery and unlawful possession of a gun.

Obodu, whose age and address were not provided by the court,  stood trial on three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a pistol gun.

The prosecution counsel, Abdullahi Aminu, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 8, 2022, at Kings Garden, Brigade Quarters, Kano.

He alleged that at about 7:30 p.m. on the same date, the defendant conspired with one Moses Onu now at large, and robbed the complainant, Jennifer Okoh, in her shop situated at Kings Garden Kano.

He said, “The duo attacked Okoh and put her in fear of losing her life, robbed her of her handset, valuable items and unspecified amount of money and were also found in possession of a pistol.”

The prosecution called one witness to prove his case.

Aminu said the offence contravened Section 97, 298 and section 3(1) Robbery and Firearms(Special Provision Act) LFN 2004.

The defendant denied committing the offence.

The defence counsel, Haruna Saleh-Zakariyya, called his client to testify in his defence.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Farida Rabiu-Danbappa, held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge said the evidence presented by the prosecution had no essential ingredients and failed to present credible evidence linking the defendant to the alleged robbery.

“The defendant, Francis Obodu, is hereby found not guilty of the three-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery and unlawful possession of gun preferred against him. He is hereby discharged and acquitted.” she ruled.

(NAN)