Armed robber sentenced to death by hanging

An Akure High Court in Ondo State has sentenced one Mr Femi Aseye to death by hanging for his involvement in armed robbery.‎

Before he was nabbed, Aseye was accused of robbing two persons, Adegoke Adeniran and Rasheed Abiola.

The convict was said to have stolen their blackberry phone, techno phone, and a wrist watch in Akungba Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of the state in August 2012.

It was learnt that during the trial, Aseye, allegedly assaulted Abiola, who testified against him in the court.

Abiola was said to have been arrested in Akungba during a riot few days after he testified against Aseye and was remanded in the same cell where the convict was remanded at Olokuta medium Prison in Akure.

Abiola told the court how he complained to the Prison officers about the danger of putting him in the same cell with the person he testified against but he was ignored.

He also told the court how Asaye and his cohorts in the cell were severely torturing him and he reported the matter to the prison officials, but the official took no action on the matter.

It was gathered that some senior officials of the Olokuta Prison were summoned by the court but they denied the allegation saying Abiola did not raise any objection concerning the cell he was held.

However, the prosecutor, Mr John Olowokere proved to the court that some prison officials were involved in some unethical practices in a bid to pervert justice.

He told the court specifically that the Olokuta prison officials, Dr Adetula who is the prison’s psychologist and Mrs Florence Alukuluka, the defence counsel, Mr Dele Kuboye and the accused person, Asaye made false affidavit against the complainant (Abiola and Adeniran) in favour of the accused person.

Following the prosecution’s ability to prove the case of armed robbery against the accused person beyond reasonable doubts, the presiding judge, Justice Olanrewaju Akeredolu sentenced Aseye to death by hanging.

The judge also recommended the defence counsel, Kuboye and two prison officials; Adetula and Alukuluka for sanction by appropriate authorities for their involvement in the procurement of an affidavit purported to have emanated from the complaint, Abiola that the latter had withdrawn from the matter.

The said false affidavit was said to have been masterminded and signed by Adetula’s office.

While referring the Kuboye to the disciplinary committee of the Nigeria Bar Association, the judge noted that the conduct of the counsel was not only unethical of law profession but also criminal.