An Ado-Ekiti High Court on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti sentenced three accused persons to death by hanging for robbery, murder and rape.
The judge, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi, gave the verdict at the conclusion of trial.
The convicts are Kolade Fowosere, a medical student; Blessing Owhorisi, also a student and Ojo Ogundare, a vulcanizer operating in Ado-Ekiti.
Delivering his judgment, Ogunyemi said the evidence before the court was direct and unequivocal.
He said that the accused were convicted based on the confessional statements they made during investigation.
Ogunyemi said he found them guilty as charged, saying “the three accused persons should be hanged till life is out of them.”
The prosecuting State Counsel, Mr Gbenga Daramola, said the accused committed the offence on July 4, 2011 at Omisanjana quarters in Ado-Ekiti.
According to him, the offence contravens Section 319, 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, cap RII, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014.
Daramola called seven witnesses to prove his case, and the defence counsel, Mr Chris Omokhafe, called four witnesses.
The state counsel urged the court to resolve the case in favour of the State, based on the confessional statements made by the convicts in the course of investigation.
He said the accused were said to have robbed at Ido-Ekiti, Omisanjana and Moferere in Ado-Ekiti.
He told the court that they also killed a police officer, Olusegun Olufowobi, popularly called “of London”, during their operation at Moferere on July 20, 2011.
He said that the accused also raped a lady in the course of their operation.
The defence counsel, however, urged the court to resolve all doubts in the prosecution witnesses in favour of his clients.
He said the evidences given by the prosecution were mere hearsay, and that his clients should be discharged and acquitted. (NAN)
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