From Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
A High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday sentenced four men to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery.
The convicts are Joseph Moses (24), Samuel Job (19), Gideon Ode (25) and Daniel Abraham (24).
The state counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Idiat Temitope, told the court that the convicts committed the offence on October 14, 2013, at about 8pm 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 included a jack knife, assorted charms and some locally-made guns when they attacked their victim.
She said: “The convicts conspired to attack the complainant with a knife and dangerous weapons and thereby collected his motorcycle.
“They injured the complainant and carted away his motorcycle to their house before they were apprehended.”
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), 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 temper justice with mercy in her judgement.
Delivering judgement, Justice Olubunmi Ayoola said the prosecutor had proved her case beyond any reasonable doubt.
Ayoola, therefore, sentenced the four men 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.