The Ondo State High Court in Akure has sentenced six persons to death by hanging including a cleric for robbing financial institutions in the state.

The convicts are: Adewale Adelu, Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho.

Mr Adelu is a cleric in one of the new-generation churches in the state. 

The culprits were found guilty after attacking and robbing two commercial banks in Akure, the state capital and Idanre 13 years ago. 

The robbery incidents took place at the defunct Diamond Bank now Access Bank located in Akure and the First Bank in Idanre, the headquarters of the Idanre Local Council. 

Justice Yemi Fasanmi, who presided over the case, handed down the death sentence on the cleric and five others on Wednesday. 

The Gazette reports that the culprits were first arraigned on July 14, 2022, on four counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms. 

Following their arraignment, they were subsequently remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Olokuta in Akure, the state capital. 

Earlier, prosecution counsel, Salami, had presented evidence that the six convicts, armed with AK-47 rifles and dynamite, carried out the robberies on the financial institutions. 

He said the robberies shook the two communities of Akure and Idanre in the state. 

Delivering judgement, Mr Fasanmi consequently sentenced all the defendants to death by hanging on each of the counts.

He said the defendants were unanimous in their confessions by stating the role each of them played in the operations.