Justice Olabisi Akinlade of the Lagos High Court, Igbosere on Friday sentenced five of the seven persons charged for robbery and kidnapping of one Mr. Ayodele Olaye, aged 28 years and carting away of his properties valued at N600,000 in Lagos, to nine-year imprisonment.
 
The convicts, namely: Esther Faith Phillips ‘F’; Patricia Inna ‘F’; Kingsley Okonwa ‘M’ [a.k.a Dragon]; Osita Adigwe ‘M’ [a.k.a O/C] and Uzochuchukwu Ezioha ‘M’ [a.k.a Black] had pleaded guilty to the four count charge preferred against them by the Lagos state government in the matter of The State v Esther Faith Philips and Six Others.
 
The suspect were said to have committed the crime at Iba-LASU Road on Sunday April 22, 2012, while their trial commenced on May 16, 2013.

Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, who led the prosecution team on behalf of the state government, said fresh pleas were taken after the prosecution filed amended charges following a plea and sentence agreement entered into with the defendants in accordance with section 75 and 76 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State of 2011.
 
He said the five defendants through their counsel had approached the prosecution with a plea and sentence proposal. The prosecution, he stated acceded to the plea and sentence agreement in view of the fact that the five defendants are assumed to be first time offenders and had shown remorse for the offences committed.

According to Ipaye, “this was followed by due consultation with the victim, the victim’s family and the investigating police officer in the matter. The five defendants were also informed of their right to remain silent and the consequences of electing not to remain silent prior to the conclusion of the agreement’.

It was stated in the plea and sentence agreement presented by the prosecution team that the five defendants had agreed to be sentenced to nine (9) years in prison, including the period already spent in custody.
After confirming that the defendants had voluntarily entered into and understood the contents of the plea and sentence agreement, Justice Akinlade accepted the agreement and proceeded to find the five defendants guilty on all the counts in the amended charges.
The judge sentenced the five defendants to nine years imprisonment each for conspiracy, robbery and kidnapping  one Mr. Ayodele Olaye, aged 28 years and carting away his properties valued at N600,000.
 
The terms of imprisonment are to run concurrently.
 
Consequently the presiding judge adjourned till Friday May 6, 2015 for continuation of trial of the  the 6th and 7th defendants  Jude Sunday ‘M’ [a.k.a Bulldozer] Michael Olanrewaju ‘M’ [a.k.a. Mike]  who pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, neglect to report  a felony and receiving  stolen and fraudulently obtained property contrary to sections 409, 408 and 326 respectively of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of 2011.