A High Court setting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state has sentenced one Olanrewaju Owolabi to death by hanging for armed robbery.
Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said the prosecution witness sufficiently identified the convict as one of the armed robbers that invaded the prosecution witness’ residence.
He said that all the essential elements of the robbery were established and the prosecution also proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the convict.
Ogunmoye said the prosecution produced enough evidence to justify the charge against him.
He said that the only option left to the court in the circumstance was to enter a verdict of guilty as charged.
The judge who said the court had no oprtion but to enter the guilty verdict for the accused ruled that the accused should be hanged by the neck until he was dead.
The state prosecutor, Akinola Abon, had told the court that the convict committed the offence at Ise-Ekiti on Oct.12, 2011, adding that Owolabi was armed with dangerous weapons such as cutlass and gun on the day of the crime.
He said that, “The convict dispossessed his victim, Gbemisola Ariyo of her valuables, including N400,000.’’
An offence which contravened Section 1(2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Counsel to the convict, Mr. Joseph Abere, appealed to the court to recommend the convict to the governor for prerogative of mercy.
