Justice Olalekan Olatawura of the Ekiti High Court, Ekiti State, yesterday convicted and sentenced five persons to death by hanging for armed robbery and murder, and to 21 years imprisonment for conspiracy.

The convicts are Ojo Tope, Damilola Christopher, Joshua Adegoke, Aderopo Temitope, and Oyedele Oluwatobi. According to the charge sheet, the offences were committed on August 18, 2021, at Agogo Street, Ilupeju Avenue, Odo-Ado, Ado-Ekiti, where the convicts robbed three individuals: Ajiboye Olajide, Lateef Temidayo Busari, and Akeem Isiaka of money, laptop computers, mobile phones, and other valuables. During the robbery, they also killed a night guard identified as Joseph Blessing.

The convicts were arrested and charged with conspiracy, murder, and armed robbery, contrary to Section 516A of the Criminal Code Law, Cap.C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012, Section 319 of the same law, and Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The defendants were convicted on all four counts and sentenced accordingly. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, who represented the Ekiti State government, called four witnesses and tendered 13 exhibits to prove the case before the trial judge. Adeyinka Opaleke represented the defendants, who each testified without calling additional witnesses.

After thoroughly evaluating the evidence presented by the prosecution, the judge held that the prosecution had proved the charges of armed robbery, murder, and conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt.
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