Court sentences four men to death for armed robbery in Ekiti

Four men were found guilty of armed robbery and given the death penalty by an Ekiti State High Court.

On July 17, 2020, Justice Adekunle Adeleye arraigned the guilty individuals, Segun Friday (39), Tijani Semiu Seun (27), Ogunyemi Segun Olarewaju (29) and Adebayo Tope (23), on a two-count charge of conspiracy and forced robbery.
Armed with weapons, the defendants allegedly planned to perpetrate a felony and rob Adeleke Abiodun of his Bajaj motorcycle on December 24, 2018, in Irare Village, Erinmope, Moba Local Government Area, Ekiti State.
Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. RII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Vol. 14, are violated by the offenses.

“I’m a commercial motorcycle rider operating in Otun and Erinmope, Ekiti,” the victim stated in his court evidence. That fateful day, I drove a woman from Otun to Erinmope, Ekiti. I was being followed to Irare village by a man who stopped me on my way back to Otun. The realization that I was entering a forest made me reluctant to continue.

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The man stated he was the one who transported the man from Ado Ekiti but ran out of petrol. I consented after he interfered in the argument and told me that I would be safe. While we were traveling, he made multiple phone calls.

Before I knew it, the man behind me attempted to strangle me on the motorcycle as we passed another man and another man in front of me. I avoided the person in front of me and they joined, taking the motorcycle away from me as they fled as we were dragging it when we fell.

After reporting what had happened to a man and his wife who had been riding a motorcycle from their farm, the villagers came out and searched the area, which resulted in one of them being taken into custody. After then, the police received him. The motorcycle was never located until today, but he later led the police to the Atikankan neighborhood in Ado Ekiti, where more gang members were taken into custody.

Using the statements of the defendants through their attorney, Adeyinka Opaleke, as a conduit, the prosecution, Julius Ajibare, called three witnesses in order to bolster his case.

There is evidence of a direct plan amongst the conspirators, Justice Adekunle Adeleye stated in his ruling. The first, second, third, and fourth accused did, in fact, take action to carry out the heist that was agreed upon.

“The complainant’s evidence has proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendants had the intention of displacing the motorcycle owner.

“It is also unequivocally established that the defendants took actions to carry out the agreed-upon illegal act of giving up his Bajaj motorcycle.” As charged, counts one (conspiracy) and two (armed robbery) are decided in favor of the four defendants.
Following that, the judge gave the guilty men the death penalty.