Seven individuals have been sentenced to death for conspiracy, armed theft and cultism by an Ekiti State Excessive Court in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
The defendants, Oyebanji Jimoh (32), Jimoh Azeez (32), Bolaji Ayodele Stephen (32), Ibrahim Alausa (33), Olorunfemi Busayo (32), Adeniyi Adewumi (30) and Idowu Sunday (32), have been arraigned earlier than Justice Adekunle Adeleye on 28/01/2020 on a five-count cost of conspiracy, armed theft and membership of a secret cult.
The cost learn that “on fifteenth October 2018, in Ado Ekiti, the defendants robbed one Ologunleko Juliet Olayinka of her Toyota automobile with Registration Quantity SMK 837 BF, a sum of N150,000, a laptop computer and telephones. On the identical day at Dallimore Junction, Ado Ekiti, they robbed one Ologunleko Oluwole of his telephones, foodstuffs and a few private belongings.
“On fifteenth July 2018, at Ifelodun Avenue, Dallimore Avenue, Ado Ekiti, they robbed one Ojo Babatunde Kolawole of his telephones, and on fifteenth October 2019, the defendants have been discovered to be members of Eiye Confraternity, a prohibited secret society in Ekiti State. On the time of the incidents, they have been armed with weapons and axes.”
In accordance to the cost, the offences are opposite to Part 6(b), 1(2)(a) of the Theft and Firearms (Particular Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Vol. 14, Legal guidelines of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Part 4(1) of the Secret Cult (Abolition and Prohibition) (First Modification) Legislation No. 6 of 2017 of Ekiti State.
In accordance to one of many victims, Mrs. Ologunleko, “Myself and 4 members of my household have been coming from Ijebu Remo, Ogun State, to Ado Ekiti. Considered one of my kin who works at EKSUTH informed me that theft incidents have been rampant in Ado. He stated we should always keep at a protected place the place members of the OPC may help in main us house. We stayed at Dallimore Junction ready for one in every of us who was urinating. Immediately, we noticed some boys. They requested us to lie face-down. They collected our laptops, telephones, some cash and ran away with my Toyota Corolla automobile. I went and reported the incident on the Space Command Police Station, Okesa, in Ado Ekiti.”
To show his case, the prosecutor, Taiwo Ajibulu Ariyo, referred to as 4 witnesses and tendered statements of the defendants, a brief gun, three cartridges, two blue berets, a bond to produce, and images as reveals. The defendants spoke in their very own defence by their lawyer, S. Ok. Idowu. They referred to as no witnesses.
In his judgment, Justice Adekunle Adeleye stated: “From the circumstances of the case in hand, there is no such thing as a doubt that the defendants acted in live performance to commit armed theft. They didn’t solely rob their victims however confessed to how they shared their loot. There was a gathering of minds in committing the crime alleged in opposition to them, they usually all took additional steps in sharing their loot.
“Within the circumstances, all of the seven defendants are hereby sentenced to death,” the decide pronounced.
Nonetheless, there was gentle drama after the pronouncement when the first and 2nd defendants, Oyebanji Sola and Jimoh Azeez,who had been sentenced to death by hanging by one other decide a while in the past, led the opposite convicts and have become unruly upon listening to the decision, inflicting a commotion within the courtroom.
They shouted, struggled and resisted makes an attempt by the correctional officers to take them away.
The scene shortly turned chaotic because the decide, legal professionals, litigants and courtroom employees scrambled out of the premises searching for security. Court chairs and tables have been knocked over and papers scattered as panic set in.
Correctional officers and different safety personnel swiftly intervened, utilizing restraint methods to subdue the convicts.
After a tense wrestle, the officers managed to overpower them, led them out of the courtroom and escorted them to the correctional facility.
