Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, has sentenced two men, Folorunsho Oladeji and Dimeji Thomas, to 14 years imprisonment each for attempted armed robbery.

The court found them guilty as charged by the Lagos State Government and sentenced them accordingly. The convicts were arraigned for attempting to rob a vehicle while armed with a gun and a knife at Jakande Estate in the Lekki area of Lagos State.

Oladeji and Thomas were said to have attempted to rob one Yusuf of his Toyota Corolla, mobile phone, and cash. Around 2:45 a.m., they reportedly made another attempt to rob Hemas Udom at the same estate before the police apprehended them.

Initially, they pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting the prosecution to proceed to trial. During the trial, the victims testified that the defendants, armed with a gun and a knife, tried to snatch their vehicle. However, the prompt arrival of the police forced the suspects to flee, abandoning the vehicle but escaping with the car key.

The defendants later approached the prosecution for a plea bargain agreement and were re-arraigned on an amended two-count charge of attempted robbery, to which they pleaded guilty.

Justice Abike-Fadipe asked whether they had been coerced, induced, or promised anything in exchange for changing their plea.

They confirmed they did so voluntarily and without intimidation. The judge convicted and sentenced both men, ordering that the sentence be backdated to commence from May 2019, when they were first remanded in custody.