14th June, 2024
By Opeyemi Gbemiro
Four men identified as Sola Ogunleye, Ebenezer Adebayo, Lasisi Afeez and Ojo Oba were on Thursday sentenced to death by hanging over charges of murder and armed robbery.
The four suspects were arraigned on charges of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery before Justice L.O. Ogundana of the Ekiti High Court in Ado-Ekit.
The offense of armed robbery is contrary to Section 6(b), of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
While the offences of murder and attempted murder are contrary to Sections 319 (1) and 320 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap.C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
Justice Ogundana, when delivering his judgment, held that the prosecution proved all the offences against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge consequently convicted all the defendants and sentenced them to death by hanging for the offences of armed robbery and murder.
For the offence of attempted murder and conspiracy, Ogundana convicted and sentenced the four men to life imprisonment.
The prosecution stated that the offences were committed by the convicts on May 29, 2017 at Oyan Orete Camp, ljan- Ekiti.
It said that the convicts robbed the residents of the camp at gun point and one Olasunkanmi Ramon was murdered.
The prosecution also informed the court that the convicts attacked one Alhaji Usman Adeleye and inflicted him with machete cuts on the head.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Julius Ajibare, who prosecuted the case for State, called five witnesses and tendered seven exhibits to prove his case.
The convicts, who had pleaded not guilty to the offences, were represented by Counsel, Mr Chris Omokhafe, and Mr Oluwaseun Oyebanji.
The four men gave evidence in their own defence during trial and called two witnesses