Nigeria, June 29, 2016 – A student and motorcycle rider, Ganiyu Hassan, an aluminium maker, Wasiu Arepo and a driver Oluwaseun Idowu were today sentenced to hanging by Justice Lateef Lawal- Akapo of an Ikeja High Court.
They were found guilty on 4 count charge of armed robbery and murder contrary to Section 402 subsection 2(a) of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State, 2011, and Section 319 subsection 1(a) of Criminal Code Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The convicts, according to prosecution committed the offence on February 5, 2011 at Aleke village, Imota at 2am from where they invaded their victims, one Mrs Adijatu Bakare and her husband, Abubakar.
They demanded for money he the husband withdrew from the bank a day before. In the process, one of the accused, Arepo, shot Abubakar in the chest after which they ransacked the house and carted away N15,000 cash and other valuables, leaving the victim in a pool of blood. He reported died on his way to the hospital.
However, two hours after the incident, the convicts were arrested by vigilante group in the area after the wife of the victim reported the matter at Imota police station and was able to identify one of the convicts whom she had seen during the robbery operation.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Akapo said the prosecution had proved beyond doubt that the convicts committed the crime, having agreed they slept in the same room on the day of the incident.
‘’They did not prove that they were somewhere else when the incident happened. The prosecution had proved beyond doubt the offence of conspiracy and murder against the accused. They are therefore sentenced to death by hanging,’ the judge pronounced.
