A pastor, Adewale Adelu, and five others – Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho, have been sentenced to death by hanging for robbing two banks in Ondo State in 2011.
Justice Yemi Fasanmi of the Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure sentenced the convicts on Tuesday.
The police arrested the convicts and charged them to court for robbing Diamond Bank (now Access Bank), Akure on November 19, 2011, and First Bank, Idanre on December 8, 2011.
They were arraigned on a four-count charge bothering on conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms and were later remanded in Olokuta Correctional Centre.
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 robbed a branch of Diamond Bank Plc, after which they went away with a sum of N30million and different brand of phones, including 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 N4 million,” Salami told the court.
The prosecuting counsel said 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.
Following arguments from both the prosecution and defence counsels and witness testimonies, the judge pronounced the defendants guilty as charged, noting that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Fasanmi said the defendants were unanimous in their confessions and the role each of them played in the robberies.
The judge sentenced all the defendants to death by hanging in each of the counts.