An Ado-Ekiti High Court has sentenced a 30-year-old man, Bello Abduquadril to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery.
Arraigned before Justice Olalekan Olatawura on March 8, 2023 on a two count charge bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery, Abdulquadril and others at large at Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the court, did conspire to commit the offence of armed robbery against Taiwo Owolabi by dispossessing him of his phone and Jincheng Lady Motorcycle, armed with offensive weapons, to wit, gun and cutlass.
According to the charge, the offences are contrary to sections 314 and 312 (2)(a) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
In his evidence before the court, the victim said: “Myself and my brother were on our lady bike with registration GED 933 QD, going home on that day, on our way, we suddenly saw two men on Bajaj motorcycle, they blocked us, immediately, they brought out a gun and cutlass, they were beating us with the cutlass and threatened to kill us if we fail to cooperate.
Thereafter, they dispossessed us of my phone and the bike and ran away with it.
We went to report the case at Amotekun office.
“On the second day, I received a call from Iyara police station in Kogi State to come there with my phone and motorcycle receipts.”
”I went to the Police Headquarters in Ado Ekiti to inform them, they made all necessary arrangement and left for Kogi State.
After documentation and verification of the receipts, the phone, the motorcycle and the suspect were released to the policemen from Ekiti,” he concluded.
To prove his case, the prosecutor Adeola Johnson called three witnesses and tendered the defendant's statements, motocycle particulars, receipts, search warrant among others as exhibit.
The defendant who spoke through his lawyer, E.K. Adetifa, pleaded to court to temper justice with mercy, he called no witness.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Olalekan Olatawura said the prosecution has substantially established that both the defendant standing trial and the other party at large participated in the crime, hence, it can be rightly inferred and I so hold that there was a common intention and a meeting of minds between the defendant and accomplice at large to commit armed robbery.
“I am therefore, satisfied that the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant conspired with another person to commit the offence.
“Consequent upon the foregoing the defendant is found guilt of the offences of conspiracy and armed robbery as charged.
“On conspiracy, the defendant is sentenced to 7-years -imprisonment and in count 2 (Armed Robbery) the sentence of the count upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead and may God have mercy on your soul,” the judge said.
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