The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan on Tuesday sentenced three persons to death by hanging for the murder of the Commandant, Nigeria Army Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan, Col. Anthony Okeyin.

The three convicts are Agada Solomon, Taiwo  Adeniyi  and Bibisoye Kehinde.

Justice Ezekiel Ajayi also sentenced the three to 14 years imprisonment each for the offences of conspiracy and armed robbery.

The six defendants were arraigned in the case in 2016 on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder and armed robbery.

The three other defendants—Ewere Andrew, Udobata Oruza – Uzie and Ephraim Obi—were discharged and acquitted.

The judge found the convicts guilty on counts one of conspiracy, two of murder, count three of conspiracy, and four of armed robbery.

“The first, second and third defendants gave confessional statements while the phone of the deceased commandant was found with the first defendant and are therefore convicted accordingly. The only offence of the sixth defendant, Ephraim Obi, is that his Camry car was used to commit the crime.

“However, established by evidence, therefore, Ewere Andrew, Udobata Oruza-Uzie, and Ephraim Obi are not guilty of armed robbery and are thereby discharged and acquitted,” Mr Ajayi said.

Earlier, the counsel to the convicts, F.O. Awonusi, in his allocutus, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

At trial, the prosecuting counsel, K. K. Oloso, had alleged that the convicts committed the offences on December 12, 2016, at 6:15 a.m.

The prosecutor had informed the court that the defendants conspired at the Commandant’s Quarters of Nigeria Army Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan, to murder Col. Anthony Okeyin.

“The defendants allegedly caused the death of Okeyin, aged 52, by breaking his skull while armed with offensive weapons and robbed him of his Samsung X4 phone and N45,000 cash,” Ms Oloso said.

She said the offence was contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

Ms Oloso said that the offence also contravened Section 1(2) (a) and (b) and Section 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

(NAN)