The Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced three men to death by hanging after finding them guilty of conspiracy and armed robbery.
The convicts – Lasisi Afeez, also known as Yemi SARS (33), Ilesanmi Seun (32), and Ajewole Peter (53) – were tried on four counts bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms. The charges were brought under Sections 314, 312(2)(b), and 344 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
According to the prosecution, the defendants, on March 29, 2022, stormed a hospital premises in Ado-Ekiti at about 11:00 p.m., armed with guns and cutlasses, and robbed a medical practitioner, Ojo Dada Emmanuel. Items taken included his Toyota Corolla car, wedding ring, ATM cards, an Infinix mobile phone, two laptops, and N70,000 cash.
The prosecution further told the court that, at the same time and location, the convicts also robbed another victim, Balogun Ahmed, of his Infinix and Itel phones, as well as N2,200 in cash.
Investigators later recovered a long double-barrel gun and live cartridges from the defendants, which they were said to be carrying without lawful authority.
Testifying before the court, Ojo narrated how the assailants assaulted him and others present at the hospital while he was preparing for a medical operation.
He added that his stolen vehicle was eventually recovered by the police after it had been sold by the defendants. Ojo said he identified the car through its chassis number, as the registration plate had been removed.
To establish its case, the prosecution counsel, Julius Ajibare, called three witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including the recovered vehicle documents, firearms, mobile phones, and live ammunition.
The defendants denied all the allegations but chose not to call any witnesses in their defence.
In his judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt on counts one, two, and three, relating to conspiracy and armed robbery.
The court, however, discharged and acquitted the defendants on the fourth count.
Consequently, the judge sentenced the three convicts to death by hanging, in line with the provisions of the law.