Court sentences 3 to death by hanging for Armed Robbery

The Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division, on Tuesday sentenced three men to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery.

The convicts; Lasisi Afeez (33), Ilesanmi Seun (32), and Ajewole Peter (53) — were arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on a four‑count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms, contrary to Sections 314, 312(2)(b), and 344 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

According to the charge, the defendants, on 29 March 2022 in Ado Ekiti, while armed with guns and cutlasses, robbed Ojo Dada Emmanuel of his Toyota Corolla car, wedding ring, ATM cards, Infinix phone, two laptops, and ₦70,000 cash. On the same date and place, they also robbed Balogun Ahmed of his phones and ₦2,200. They were further found in possession of a long double‑barrelled gun and live cartridges without lawful authority.

One of the victims, Emmanuel, testified that the defendants stormed his hospital around 11 p.m. while he was preparing for surgery. Armed with a pistol and a double‑barrelled gun, they ordered everyone to lie face down, assaulted him, the patient, and a relative, and carted away valuables including his car worth ₦3 million. The vehicle was later recovered by the police.

The prosecution, led by Julius Ajibare, called three witnesses and tendered exhibits including car documents, firearms, phones, and cartridges. The defence, however, called no witnesses.

In his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt on counts 1, 2, and 3 (conspiracy and armed robbery), relying on the defendants’ confessional statements and corroborating evidence. The defendants were acquitted on count 4.

Delivering sentence, the judge pronounced: “Consequently, the judgment of this court upon the defendants is that they be hanged by the neck until they be dead. May God Almighty have mercy upon your souls.”

This ruling follows a similar judgment in November 2025, when the same court sentenced two individuals to death by hanging for armed robbery after convicting them on five counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, and stealing.