An Abeokuta High Court on Friday sentenced two men, John Inyere and Chibuike Ukwa, to death by hanging for armed robbery and murder of their friend Chidi Nwite.

The duo had pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder.

The presiding judge, Patricia Oduniyi, in her judgment, noted that all the evidence tendered in court had convinced the court beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants were guilty of the offences as charged.

She, therefore, sentenced each to  death by hanging.

‘”That you John Inyere is sentenced to death by hanging. May God have mercy on your soul.

“That you Chibuike Ukwa is sentenced to death by hanging until you be dead. May God have mercy on your soul,” she said.

The prosecutor,  T. O Adeyemi, told the court that the convicts  committed the offence on September 8, 2013, at  Kajola Village along Lagos/ Benin Expressway.

He said that the convicts conspired to rob and kill Chidi Nwite.

Mr Adeyemi told the court that the deceased informed his friends Inyere and Ukwa to help him get a buyer for his Mazda 626 Saloon car.

The first defendant, Mr Inyere, told the  deceased that he had gotten a buyer at Ondo, suggesting that they should go together with the car to collect the money.

The convicts then robbed their friend of his car while on their way to Ondo.

“On their way the first defendant and second defendant, conspired and robbed the deceased of his car while armed, and used  a motor jack to hit the deceased on the head, which led to his death,” he said.

He noted that the offence contravened the criminal code laws of Ogun (2006) and  the Robbery and Firearms (special provisions) Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria (2004). 

(NAN)