From: Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
A High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, on Tuesday, sentenced four young men to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery.
The convicts were Joseph Moses, 24, Samuel Job, 19, Gideon Ode, 25, and Daniel Abraham, 24.
The state counsel in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Idiat Temitope, told the court that the convicts committed the offence on October 14, 2013, at about 8:00 pm along Kajola Expressway, Osogbo.
She disclosed that the convicts conspired to rob one Abubakar Rauf of his motorcycle with registration number BDG 896 QB.
Temitope added that the convicts were also in possession of dangerous weapons which include a jerk knife, assorted charms and some locally made guns when they attacked their victim.
“The convicts conspired to attack the complainant with a knife and dangerous weapons and thereby collected his motorcycle,” she said.
“They injured the complainant and carted away his bajag motorcycle to their house before they were apprehended “, Temitope added.
She lamented that the vicinity where the crime was committed had been a regular flashpoint for robbery attacks which had led to the death and missing of some persons.
The prosecutor said the offences were contrary to Section 6 (b) and punishable under Section 1(1)(2)(a) and also contrary to Section 1(1)(2)(a) and punishable under Section 1 (1)(2)(a) of the Robbery and Fire Arms (Special Provision) Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The counsel to the convicts, Mr Promise Jones , however, pleaded with the judge to tamper justice with mercy in her judgment.
Delivering judgment, Justice Olubunmi Ayoola, said the prosecutor had proved her case beyond any reasonable doubt.
Justice Ayoola, therefore, sentenced the convicts to death by hanging and attributed the action to the magnitude of the crime.
She said the convicts were guilty of all the charges of conspiracy and armed robbery preferred against them.