Saturday, August 16, 2025 - An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced two men, David Friday and Innocent Victor, to d3ath by hanging for armed robbery.
The two men were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering
on conspiracy, armed robbery, and impersonating members of the armed forces or
police.
The offences contravened Section 6 (b) of the Robbery and
Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria
2004; Section 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act,
Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004; and Section 109 of the
Criminal Code, Cap 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.
One of the prosecution witnesses, Akinmodun Akinleye, told
the court that while returning from his farm along Ibepo in Idanre on January
15, 2021, at about 1 a.m., he was stopped at Ojalade Junction by two men—one
wearing a black police T-shirt and the other in full military camouflage. He
said both were armed with jack knives and were flashing the headlight of their
TVS motorcycle at him.
According to him, the men ransacked his vehicle, took ₦6,000
from him, and instructed him to fuel their motorcycle with 30 litres of petrol,
which he did. He later discovered that his Itel phone, valued at ₦8,500, was
also missing.
Another prosecution witness, Olowogbadegun Lanre, a security
guard, said he was on night duty at Yaba Junction in Idanre that same night
when he saw two men on a black TVS motorcycle one in a police T-shirt and the
other in army camouflage.
He said they ordered him to drop his gun, but he refused.
Shortly after, the men stopped an 18-seater bus, ordered the driver out, made
him sit on the floor, and took all his money.
Olowogbadegun said the men beat the driver with jack knives
and their fists, taking N5,000 from him. They offered him (Olowogbadegun)
N2,000, which he declined. Around 4 a.m., the driver returned to ask if he knew
the two men, and he confirmed he did. Together, they went to the police station
to report. When invited by the Divisional Police Officer, the driver identified
the man who had robbed him while wearing the police uniform.
The third prosecution witness, Adeyeye Sesan, a transporter,
testified that he was returning home when he encountered the two men—one in
military camouflage and the other dressed like a policeman. He said the man in
camouflage demanded N10,000, and when he refused, the man slapped him, dragged
him out of his bus, and began to beat him. The other man, in police uniform,
joined in, using a pistol and sticks to assault him.
Adeyeye said they forcibly took N125,000 from his pocket the
proceeds of his work for the day. After robbing him, they dragged him back to
his bus and injured his leg with a dagger, threatening to kill him with the
pistol.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Ilesanmi Samuel, told the
court that investigations revealed David Friday was a serving member of the
Nigeria Police Force attached to Olofin Police Station, Idanre, while Innocent
Victor’s claim of being a soldier was false, as confirmed by the Owena
Cantonment in Akure. Both men, he said, confessed to the crimes.
In his judgment, Justice W.R. Olamide held that the
prosecution had successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and
sentenced the defendants to death by hanging.
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