NIGERIA: EKITI STATE HIGH COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR ARMED ROBBERY
March 13, 2024: The Ekiti State High Court has handed down a death sentence to 30-year-old Bello Abduquadri, convicted of armed robbery, Bnnbreaking reported on March 11, 2024. The court determined that Abduquadri's actions, involving the theft of a phone and motorcycle at gunpoint, merited the capital punishment. The incident, which occurred on March 22, 2022, saw Abduquadri and accomplices, now at large, attack Owolabi Taiwo and his brother. Armed with guns and cutlasses, they threatened the lives of their victims before making off with a phone and a Jincheng Lady Motorcycle. The subsequent investigation led to Abduquadri's arrest after the victim received a call from Iyara Police Station in Kogi State, directing him to present proof of ownership for the stolen items. During the trial, the prosecutor, Adeola Johnson, presented three witnesses and submitted several pieces of evidence, including the defendant's statements, motorcycle particulars, and a search warrant. Despite the defense's plea for mercy, Justice Olalekan Olatawura found Abduquadri guilty of both conspiracy and armed robbery. The judge sentenced him to seven years in prison for conspiracy and decreed the death penalty for the armed robbery charge. (Source: Bnnbreaking, 11/03/2023)
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