An Ondo State High Court in Akure, the state capital, has condemned six people to death for their roles in bank robberies that occurred in Akure and Idanre in 2011.
Adewale Adelu, a preacher, is among those convicted, along with Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho.
They were convicted of robbing two commercial banks in Akure and Idanre on November 19 and December 8, 2011, respectively.
They were arrested by men from the state police command and charged in court.
The court issued its decision on Tuesday.
When the trial began, the convicts were arraigned in court on four counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms, and they were later remanded to Olokuta Correctional Centre.
The prosecuting counsel, F.K Salami, told the court that the convicts and others were “armed with AK 47 guns, dynamite, and other weapons at Oyemekun Road, Akure, conspired to attack and rob a branch of Diamond Bank Plc, after which they went away with a sum of N30 million and various brands of phones, as well as other valuable property.”
“The convicts on December 8, 2011, at 2 pm, were also alleged to have robbed First Bank Plc at Yaba Road, Idanre, where they carted away another sum of N4million.”
According to the prosecution, “the offences contravene Sections 6b, 1 2a, and b of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Vol. 14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
There were arguments from both the prosecuting and defence counsel at various court proceedings on the matter while witnesses were also invited to the court to testify.
In the judgment of Justice Yemi Fasanmi, on Tuesday, the court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge also said the defendants were unanimous in their confessions and the role each of them played in the robberies.
To this end, Justice Fasanmi “sentenced all the defendants to death by hanging in each of the counts.”
A Court in Akure had earlier sentenced a man, Gbenga Akintola, to 21 years imprisonment for involvement in robbery.
Akintola was apprehended by the Amotekun command and the police in Ondo town in 2021 for using dangerous weapons such as cutlasses to rob three individuals of their money and valuables.
He was later charged and brought before the court on five counts, including conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery.