An Akure, Ondo based Evangelist, Adewale Adelu, and five others are to die by hanging for robbing two different banks in the State, 13 years ago. This is coming after an Akure High Court, in Ondo State, found them guilty and therefore, sentenced them to death by hanging.
According to report, the convicts committed the crime in 2011 where they robbed two banks and carted away N34million.
The convicts include, Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Adewale Adelu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho. They connived and robbed two commercial banks in Akure and Idanre on November 19 and December 8, 2011, reports Vanguard.
Delivering judgement, Justice Yemi Fasanmi, said that “the prosecution was able to prove the offence of armed robbery against all the convicts beyond reasonable doubt.
The convicts were arraigned on July 14, 2022, on four counts charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms. They were remanded in Olokuta Correctional Centre.
Recall that the Prosecuting Counsel, F. K. Salami had told the court that the convicts and others conspired to attack and robbed Diamond Bank Plc. He stated that they carted away the sum of N30 million and made away with different brand of phones, including other valuable property. Salami added the convicts were armed with AK 47 guns, dynamite, and other dangerous weapons at Oyemekun road, Akure,
Salami added that the convicts on December 8, 2011, at 2 pm, allegedly robbed First Bank Plc. The bank was located at Yaba Road, Idanre. He pointed that they took away the sum of N4 million from the bank.
The Prosecutor also added that the defendants and others at large, attacked a church around Adaba FM, Ilara-Mokin at 12:45 pm. There they robbed two pastors; Jeremiah Adanlawo and D.O Ajayi of their cars with number plates JU522EKY and JV322EKY respectively.
Salami maintained that the offences contravene Sections 6b, 1 2a, and b of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Vol. 14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences preferred against them.
A staff of the bank while giving evidence narrated how the armed robbers gained entrance into the banking hall. He stated that they were fully armed with guns.
According to the witness, “We suddenly heard sporadic gunshots in the bank premises. And they, thereafter, blasted the entrance of the bank to gain access to the banking hall.
“One of the robbers who was masked, asked me to open the box. He packed away all the money in the box, including Naira and Dollars notes. And in the process, a policeman identified as Olowoyelu was shot dead.”
However, in the face of overwhelming evidence, the convicts, admitted to the crime. They had in their separate confessional statements admitted to taking part in the robbery.
The convicts explained their individual roles during the robbery incident. They also confessed to gathering inside a bush at the back of a church in Idanre road, Akure. They pointed that they were joined by some gang of robbers from Lagos, Port-Harcourt, and Southeast.
According to the defendants, their colleagues from outside the State capital, supplied them with ammunition they used for the operations.
They equally explained how the proceeds from the robbery operations were shared among them.
Delivering judgment, Justice Fasanmi, said that “although no eyewitness and evidence directly linked the defendants to the commission of the crime, the confessional statements of each of the defendants copiously corroborated with the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses. Including the evidence of their arrest and how they were arrested.
Fasanmi, said that the offence of conspiracy was proven beyond reasonable doubt. He stated that the robbery was coordinated via phone call by the second defendant, Evangelist Adelu who resides in Akure.
“The defendants were unanimous in their confessions and the role each of them played in the robberies,” he said.
He, therefore, sentenced the six defendants to death by hanging in each of the counts.
