The family of a Nigerian student convicted of robbery and blackmail in the United Kingdom has appealed for a review of the verdict, maintaining that their son was wrongly convicted and is innocent of the offences.

Mr. Aderinkola Akinrinola and Mrs. Olayinka Akinrinola made the appeal in a statement made available to The Guardian in Ibadan following the conviction of their son, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, by a UK court on June 19, 2026.
The student is currently being held in a prison in Nottingham pending sentencing scheduled for July 27.

According to the parents, the conviction was based largely on circumstantial evidence and their son’s association with the principal suspect in the case.

They alleged that the prosecution relied heavily on a photograph showing Oluwatobiloba with the prime suspect, identified as Richile Vagnu, and CCTV footage that reportedly captured him entering the venue where the robbery occurred on November 21, 2025.

The couple explained that their son met Vagnu shortly after enrolling as a first-year student at Leicester University in September 2025, describing their relationship as casual rather than close.

“Our son was present at the party where the incident took place, but he was never involved in the robbery,” the parents stated.

They claimed that some victims testified during the trial that Oluwatobiloba was not among those who robbed them. According to the family, witnesses told the court that he briefly entered the room where the incident occurred, asked what was happening, and left after indicating that he did not want to be involved.

The parents further argued that police searches of their son’s apartment did not recover any of the items allegedly stolen from the victims, including clothing and footwear.

They also maintained that investigators found evidence of money transfers from victims to bank accounts linked to other suspects, but discovered no such transactions involving their son’s accounts.

Questioning the outcome of the trial, the family expressed concern that some individuals identified during the investigation were not prosecuted despite allegations linking them more directly to the incident.

“The court insists our son is guilty, yet other suspects were allowed to go free. One of them was identified by victims as having prevented them from leaving the room where the robbery occurred,” they said.
The parents also alleged that CCTV footage presented during the proceedings did not place their son at the scene of the robbery itself, apart from showing him arriving at the party venue.

According to the family, police were unable to produce some suspects in court because they allegedly failed to honour invitations issued to them.

They further claimed that one of the victims testified that Oluwatobiloba appeared to be assisting those affected rather than participating in the crime.

The family disclosed that shortly after the incident, their son came across a social media video that allegedly linked him to the attack. Concerned by the allegations, he reportedly contacted the police voluntarily and offered to make himself available for questioning.

According to the parents, officers informed him at the time that he was not considered a suspect.
Describing their son as a peaceful and sociable young man with no previous criminal record, the couple appealed to UK authorities to re-examine the case.

“We are devastated. Our son is about to suffer for a crime he did not commit. We want the world to hear our side of the story and for the UK authorities to review the case,” they said.

The family also called on relevant legal institutions, human rights organisations, and other stakeholders to examine the circumstances surrounding the conviction and ensure that justice is served.

However, court authorities have not publicly responded to the family’s claims, and the conviction remains in force pending sentencing.