An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti division has sentenced two men Benjamin Joseph,32, and Stephen Orban, 25, to death by hanging for robbing two persons of cash and valuable items.
The
convicts were arraigned on December 30, 2022, on a four-count charge bordering
on conspiracy and armed robbery.
The
charge read, “On 16th August 2022 along Iluomoba Road, Aisegba Ekiti did
conspire to commit a felony, to wit; armed robbery.
“As at
the time of the robbery, they were armed with locally made guns, knives, and
cutlasses and did rob Daramola Christiana and Ajayi Alaba of their belongings
such as phones, power bank, creams, drugs, ATM Cards, and N105,000 cash among
others
“The
offences are contrary to Sections 6(b) and 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms
(Special Provisions) Act, Cap. RII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
In her
testimony before the court, one of the victims, a trader, said that four armed
men attacked them at a barricaded point at Aisegba Ekiti along Omuo – Ado Ekiti
Road.
“They
collected our phones, power bank, other valuables, and a cash sum of
N105,000.00 and ran into the bush. I was rescued by a sympathizer, but the
driver drove back to Omuo and made a formal complaint to the police,” she
narrated.
The
prosecutor, Ibironke Odetola, called six witnesses and tendered charms, phones,
camouflage underwear, a hammer, three hoods, fake Dollar notes, and cutlasses
among others as exhibits, while the defendants spoke in their defence through
their lawyer, Adeyinka Opaleke, and called no witnesses.
In the
judgment on Thursday, May 23, 2024, Justice Blessing Ajileye, who said the
prosecution proved the case beyond reasonable doubt that there was an armed
robbery on 16th August 2022, found the two persons guilty.
“Consequently, the sentence of this court upon
Benjamin Joseph and Stephen Orban is that they are hanged by the neck until
they are dead, may God have mercy on your souls,” the judge pronounced.
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