Crime
Robber sentenced to death for stealing cigarettes, beer
A man who stole seven bottles of beer and a packet of cigarettes has been sentenced to death by an Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti.
Raji Babatunde will die by hanging.
Justice Cornelius Akintayo, in a judgment delivered on Wednesday, found the suspect guilty of armed robbery for being in possession of an axe and cutlass at the scene of the robbery.
The judge held that the prosecution had proved the case against Babatunde beyond reasonable doubt.
But he discharged and acquitted the second accused person, Adegboye Sunday, for lack of sufficient evidence against him.
Babatunde was a member of a four-man robbery gang that attacked a house at 15, Odundun Street, Okesa and anpther at 5C, Dallimore Street, both in Ado-Ekiti on June 30, 2014.
The offence contravened Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R11 Vol 14 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.
The robbery victim, Mudsahiru Bello, was dispossessed of two Nokia phones and one Techno phone.
One Oladele Femi was also robbed of one bottle of Star lager beer, six bottles of trophy lager beer and one packet of Rothmans cigarette.
A patrol team arrived the sceneand arrested Baabatunde trying to escape with the stolen items whike the three others made off. One was later arrested.
The two first appeared before the High Court on February 1, 2016 when the charges were read to them. They pleaded not guilty.
None of the witnesses called to give evidence in the case linked the second accused person to the commission of the crime, leaving the court with no option than to set him free.
The prosecution called four witnesses while tendering the exhibits, including voluntary confessional statement, four machetes, one knife, one bottle of Trophy beer, broken bottle of Star beer, one radio set and one fez cap.
Babatunde’s only witness was his mother who testified that she and her son were coming from a church vigil that day.
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