Justice Adenike Coker of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, yesterday, sentenced one Akoh Jude to death for armed robbery.

The judge delivered the verdict after finding him guilty as charged by the state government.

The state had arraigned the defendant on two counts of conspiracy and armed robbery.

Jude was said to have committed the offences with others who are still at large at the Odogunyan Ikorodu area of Lagos State, at about 2300 hours on October 13, 2017.

The prosecution said his offences are contrary to the provision of Sections 299, 297 (2)(a) of the Criminal Law Cap C17, Vol 3 Laws of Lagos State 2015.

Coker held that armed robbery is a capital offence and that the defendant should be punished accordingly.

She said it was evident that there was a robbery, and that the defendant was part of the culprits that robbed one Gbolahan Alabi of his Tecno Camon Phone and some cash on October 13, 2017.

The judge said: “The victim gave direct evidence, which was potent; whereas, the defendant tried to distract the court during trial by stating the time and where he was arrested, instead of when the crime was perpetrated.”

The court noted evidence during the trial that the defendant was armed with an axe at the time of the incident.

The judge, therefore, found him guilty as charged.
Jude’s counsel, Rukayat Owolabi, pleaded mercy for the defendant, saying he was a first-time offender, very young, and still useful to society.

She said: “I believe he can be a better person. And with the years he has been in custody, he must have learnt his lesson.”

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, B. Ojukutu-Shobande, urged the court to sentence him accordingly, noting that armed robbery is considered a capital offence.

The judge sentenced the defendant to 21 years imprisonment on count one, which borders on conspiracy to commit robbery.

While sentencing the defendant on count two, the judge said: “The court takes this opportunity to advise counsels to always lay down the options of plea bargain before defendants. The defendant is, hereby, sentenced to death on count two, which borders on armed robbery.”

The judge ordered that the sentence should run concurrently.