EKITI HIGH COURT SENTENCES THREE TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR ARMED ROBBERY OF 87-YEAR-OLD WOMAN

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An Ekiti State High Court, sitting in Ado Ekiti, has sentenced three persons to death by hanging for armed robbery involving an 87-year-old woman, Mrs. Victoria Folorunso, whom they robbed of ₦186,000 and a wristwatch.

The convicts Shadrack Apos (30), Lucky Akpos (33), and Adunola Precious (24) were found guilty on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

According to the charge, the defendants, on June 12, 2024, at Ifaki Ekiti, conspired to rob Mrs. Folorunso while armed with a gun and wooden planks an offence contrary to Sections 421 and 321 (2)(b) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.

In her testimony, the octogenarian victim recounted how the convicts broke into her home at about 1 a.m., threatening her with a gun and plank. She said they stole ₦147,000, a wristwatch, and later demanded an additional ₦3 million, instructing her to withdraw it and hand it over to her househelp, Adunola Precious, who was part of the plot.

“They did not wear masks, and they were freely relating with my househelp,” she told the court. “They warned me not to tell anyone, or they would kidnap and kill me. When they kept calling and threatening me, I informed my children.”

The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, presented two witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including the defendants’ statements, a search warrant, and a wooden gun.

Delivering judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, finding all three defendants guilty of both charges.

He stated that Adunola Precious, the victim’s househelp, “must have opened the door to enable the robbers to gain seamless entry into the house she was sharing with the victim,” noting her central role in facilitating the crime.

“From the believable evidence before the court, it is clear that the prosecution established that the defendants planned and agreed to rob the victim on June 12, 2024,” the judge ruled.

Justice Ogunmoye subsequently convicted and sentenced the three defendants to death by hanging, declaring:

“The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants are to be hanged by the neck until they are dead. May God have mercy on their souls.”

The defence counsels, Oluwatoyin Marcus and Mitchel Aribisala, each called one witness during the trial, but their arguments failed to sway the court.

The judgment underscores the judiciary’s stance against violent crimes targeting vulnerable persons, particularly the elderly.