At Akure’s Ondo State High Court, Adewale Adelu, a self-described preacher, and five other defendants were given hanging death sentences.
Their involvement in bank robberies that took place in 2011 in Akure and Idanre is what led to their conviction.
Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho are the other five prisoners.
These people were convicted guilty on November 19, 2011, in Akure, and December 8, 2011, in Idanre, of robbing two commercial banks.
After being apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force’s state command, they were taken before the court, which rendered its decision on Tuesday.
The defendants were hauled before the court at the beginning of the trial to answer to allegations of conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful firearm possession. They were then placed under remand at the Olokuta Correctional Facility.
The prosecution, represented by F.K. Salami, told the court yesterday that the defendants and other individuals had planned to carry out an attack and robbery at a Diamond Bank Plc branch.
At Oyemekun Road in Akure, it was discovered that they were carrying explosives, AK-47 firearms, and a number of other weapons.
Through their illicit activities, they were able to pilfer multiple mobile phones and other expensive stuff, totaling N30 million.
The prosecution added, “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.” The convicts, according to the prosecution, were also accused of robbing First Bank Plc at Yaba Road, Idanre, where they took away another sum of N4 million.
Witnesses were called upon to testify during the court hearings, which also featured arguments from the defense and prosecution teams.
The court found that the prosecution had successfully established its case beyond a reasonable doubt in Justice Yemi Fasanmi’s recent verdict on Tuesday.
Justice Fasanmi further emphasized that each defendant had freely admitted their roles in the robberies and made a unanimous confession.
Consequently, “all the defendants shall be sentenced to death by hanging for each of the charges,” Justice Fasanmi declared in rendering the verdict.
A man by the name of Gbenga Akintola had previously been found guilty of robbery and given a 21-year prison sentence by an Akure court.
According to what Naija News is told, Akintola was apprehended by the police and Amotekun unit in Ondo town in 2021 for stealing money and belongings from three people using sharp objects like machetes.
Following his arrest, he was charged with five crimes, including armed robbery and conspiring to conduct armed robbery, when he appeared in court.
