Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde of an Ado Ekiti High court has sentenced a 24-year-old man, Sola Jegede, to death for stealing phones and cash.
According to the charge, the defendant was charged with offences of armed robbery and rape, which were committed on 30th October, 2015 at Oda Ponna Street, Omuo Ekiti.
According to the prosecutors, the defendant, armed with offensive weapons such as gun, knife, digger and club, robbed Ilesanmi Ibukun, Ilesanmi Seun and Ilesanmi Tope of their phones and an undisclosed sum of money contrary to sections 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 358 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
The prosecutor, Omobola Oyewole Esq., called seven witnesses while exhibits tendered included Blackberry and Nokia Phones, a digger, a knife among others while the defendant spoke in his own defence through his counsel Adedayo Adewumi Esq and called no witness.
In his judgement, Justice Abodunde said:
“The defendant is found guilty as charged on count 1, 2 and 3 for the offence of armed robbery. He is accordingly convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for the offence of armed robbery and may the Lord have mercy on his soul,” the court said.
Justice Abodunde discharged and acquitted the defendant on counts 4 and 5 saying, no reasonable court can convict him on the offence of rape, given the totality of the evidence of prosecution with respect to offence of rape. “He is found not guilty and discharged and acquitted on the offence of rape.”