A Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere on Wednesday sentenced two men to three years imprisonment after they had spent eight years in prison over armed robbery and illegal possession of weapons.
The convicts, Moses Oluwajuyigbe and Ifeanyi Okoronkwo, had pleaded not guilty on the two-count charge of armed robbery and possession of instrument of house breaking, but were remanded in prison custody.
Mrs Rotimi Oduntola, a Lagos State Prosecutor, had told the court that the convicts and others still at large, committed the offences between June 28, 2008, and Dec. 18, 2009, at 2 a.m, at No. 2, Adejonwo St., Maryland, Lagos.
According to the charge, the convicts robbed Mr Chichi Okonjo and his family.
It stated that the convicts stole four laptops, including a Mac Book Pro laptop, jewellery and other valuables, while armed with guns and dangerous weapons.
The charge also stated that on Dec. 18, 2009, at AIB junction, at night, at Ilupeju, Lagos, the convicts were unlawfully in possession of instrument of house breaking ranging from metal cutter, dagger knife and a toy pistol without any excuse.
According to the charge the offences contravened sections 402, (2) (a), Cap C17 Vol 2 and 417, Law of Lagos State 2003.
Justice Olabisi Akinlade in sentencing the convicts discharged and acquitted them on the first count of armed robbery but found them guilty on the second count.
Akinlade, however, discharged them as the prosecution could not prove beyond every reasonable doubt that the convicts actually committed the offence of armed robbery.
However, the Judge sentenced the convicts to three years imprisonment over possession of weapons.
She said that the sentence would start from June 1, 2011, when they were first remanded in prison.
The Judge had advised the first convict to turn a new leave.
She said: “If the armed robbery victim had testified against you, you would have been sentenced to death.
“Count yourself very lucky because if Mr Okonjo had testified in this case, I would have sentenced you to death.
“You should be ashamed of yourself, you son of a Church Pastor, you disgraced your father.
“God is giving you a second chance, I hope you don’t miss use it again.”
Earlier, Counsel to the first convict, Mr O. A. Omodele, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy as he was a first time offender and that he had already spent eight years in custody.
The second convict’s counsel, Mr E. K. Ukam, also aligned himself with the first convict counsel’s argument. (NAN)A Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere on Wednesday sentenced two men to three years imprisonment after they had spent eight years in prison over armed robbery and illegal possession of weapons.
The convicts, Moses Oluwajuyigbe and Ifeanyi Okoronkwo, had pleaded not guilty on the two-count charge of armed robbery and possession of instrument of house breaking, but were remanded in prison custody.
Mrs Rotimi Oduntola, a Lagos State Prosecutor, had told the court that the convicts and others still at large, committed the offences between June 28, 2008, and Dec. 18, 2009, at 2 a.m, at No. 2, Adejonwo St., Maryland, Lagos.
According to the charge, the convicts robbed Mr Chichi Okonjo and his family.
It stated that the convicts stole four laptops, including a Mac Book Pro laptop, jewellery and other valuables, while armed with guns and dangerous weapons.
The charge also stated that on Dec. 18, 2009, at AIB junction, at night, at Ilupeju, Lagos, the convicts were unlawfully in possession of instrument of house breaking ranging from metal cutter, dagger knife and a toy pistol without any excuse.
According to the charge the offences contravened sections 402, (2) (a), Cap C17 Vol 2 and 417, Law of Lagos State 2003.
Justice Olabisi Akinlade in sentencing the convicts discharged and acquitted them on the first count of armed robbery but found them guilty on the second count.
Akinlade, however, discharged them as the prosecution could not prove beyond every reasonable doubt that the convicts actually committed the offence of armed robbery.
However, the Judge sentenced the convicts to three years imprisonment over possession of weapons.
She said that the sentence would start from June 1, 2011, when they were first remanded in prison.
The Judge had advised the first convict to turn a new leave.
She said: “If the armed robbery victim had testified against you, you would have been sentenced to death.
“Count yourself very lucky because if Mr Okonjo had testified in this case, I would have sentenced you to death.
“You should be ashamed of yourself, you son of a Church Pastor, you disgraced your father.
“God is giving you a second chance, I hope you don’t miss use it again.”
Earlier, Counsel to the first convict, Mr O. A. Omodele, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy as he was a first time offender and that he had already spent eight years in custody.
The second convict’s counsel, Mr E. K. Ukam, also aligned himself with the first convict counsel’s argument. (NAN)