An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced two men, Emmanuel Sunday and Oluwaseyi Adeyemi, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery and the murder of a farm labourer, John Edet, in Idanre Local Government Area.
The defendants were arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and murder, offences contrary to the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act and the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and stood trial.
During the proceedings, a prosecution witness and farmer, Samson Olayiwola, told the court that the incident occurred on June 3, 2021, while he was heading to his farm at Ori-Okuta, Aseigbo, in Idanre. He said he noticed one of the defendants riding a motorcycle in the opposite direction.
Olayiwola testified that upon reaching his farm, he discovered the labourer, Edet, lying in a pool of blood with severe machete injuries. He added that the victim, before succumbing to his injuries at a hospital, identified his attackers as armed robbers who also stole his motorcycle.
The witness further stated that the deceased also identified the first defendant as one of those involved in the attack, noting that he had earlier seen him riding the stolen motorcycle.
Delivering judgment, Justice William Olamide held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that the defendants participated in the armed robbery and subsequent killing of the victim.
The judge ruled that evidence before the court confirmed that the convicts conspired to carry out the violent attack on the day of the incident.
Consequently, Justice Olamide sentenced the two men to seven years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and ordered that they be hanged for armed robbery and murder.
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