NIGERIA: EKITI MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROBBING NEIGHBOUR OF CAR

November 7, 2021:

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti on 2 November 2021 sentenced a 43-year-old man, Taiwo Afolabi, to death by hanging for robbery.
The judge, Justice Abiodun Adesodun, said, “The prosecution has led credible, cogent and compelling evidence to establish all the three essential elements of the offence of armed robbery against the defendant as charged.
“He is hereby sentenced to death by hanging. May the Lord have mercy on your soul.”
The convict was arraigned on one count of robbery.
The charge read, “Taiwo Afolabi, on 17 June 2017, at Oke Osun, Ikere Ekiti, robbed Pius Ayeni of his Lexus SUV with number plate, Lagos KTU 479 DM, and also robbed Aturamu Adesina of the sum of N43,000, Infinix Note 3 phone, among others. At the time of the robbery, he was armed with a gun.”
The police prosecutor, Oluwatoyin Marcus, said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 1(2)a of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
In their statements to the court, the victims said they were coming from an event in an SUV when the defendant, who was their neighbour and whose voice they recognised, alongside three unknown gunmen, came out of hiding when they were alighting from the vehicle.
According to them, the gang hit them with cutlasses, collected the key of the vehicle, tied their hands and mouths and escaped with the SUV and other valuables.
According to the victims, the attack was reported to the police as the vehicle was tracked to Ore in Ondo State.