NIGERIA: 24-YEAR-OLD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STEALING PHONES, CASH IN EKITI

July 13, 2021:

An Ekiti State High Court on 29 June 2021 sentenced a 24-year-old man, Sola Jegede, to death by hanging for robbing three men of their phones and money.
According to Punch newspaper, the convict was found guilty of using weapons, including a gun, knife, dagger and club to rob Ibukun Ilesanmi, Seun Ilesanmi and Tope Ilesanmi of their phones and undisclosed sums of money.
Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde said, “The defendant is found guilty as charged on counts one, two and three for the offence of armed robbery.”
He said: “He is accordingly convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for the offence of armed robbery and may the Lord have mercy on his soul.”
The prosecutor, Omobola Oyewole, said the offences contravened Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Section 358 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
To prove his case, the prosecutor called seven witnesses and tendered as exhibits Blackberry and Nokia phones, a digger and a knife, among others, while the convict’s counsel, Adedayo Adewumi, called no witnesses.