By Deborah Nnamdi
A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Thursday sentenced 51-year-old Owoeye Ojo to death by hanging for armed robbery.
Ojo was brought before the court on August 25, 2023, facing a four-count charge that bothered on conspiracy, attempted murder, and armed robbery.
The charge reads in part: “The defendant and others at large, on May 21, 2023, at Oluwole Orungbe Street in Ado Ekiti, conspired to commit armed robbery and attempted to murder Adeyemi Funmilayo and Adesola Omolola.
“Also, on May 12, 2023, at Ilokun in Ado Ekiti, the defendant and others at large robbed Adesola Omolola of her handbag containing an unconfirmed sum of money, a handset valued at N85,000, a laptop, phones, flash drives, and the cash sum of ₦10,000, among other items. At the time of the robbery, they were armed with guns, cutlasses, and an axe.
“The offences are contrary to Sections 314, 312(2)(b), 241, and 312(a) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.”
The prosecutor, O. F. Ajumobi, called four witnesses and tendered as exhibits a single-barrel gun, live cartridges, the defendant’s statement, photographs of the victims, among others.
The defendant, represented by his counsel, Lawrence Fasanmi, did not call any witnesses.
In the judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye stated, “With the credible evidence before the court, the prosecution has established that there was a robbery at the premises of the victims, the defendant was one of those who took part in the armed robbery, and there was a conspiracy between him and others.
“The prosecution has, therefore, proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the offences as charged.
“Consequently, the defendant is hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May God have mercy upon his soul,” the judge pronounced.
