Man sentenced to death for stealing motorcycle, phone, money

A High Court in Abeokuta on Monday sentenced Kola Akanji to death by hanging for armed robbery.

Mr. Akanji, whose address was not given, was found guilty of a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

In his judgment, Abiodun Akinyemi, said the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offence.

“According to Section 1(2) (a&b) and 6(b) of the Act, the punishment is death and the court has no discretion in the matter.

“Having found that the accused person is guilty as charged in both counts, I have no choice but impose on him the capital sentence as prescribed by the Law.

“You shall be hung by your neck until you are dead,” he said.

He held that the evidence presented by the prosecution was tenable and, therefore, sentenced the accused to death by hanging

The convict, had been standing trial since Dec 2010, when he was arrested and charged for robbing one Fashola Moses of his motorcycle, phone and money.

The accused was said to have inflicted grievous harm on Moses with a bottle during the robbery, which took place in Onigbedu area in Yewa North local government, Ogun State.

The prosecutor, O.S. Ogunbode, had during the trial told the court that the convict committed the offence on December 16, 2010 at about 7:00 p.m. at Onigbedu.

According to Mrs. Ogunbode, the convict and two others had boarded the motorcycle of their victim at Ijaka Isale in Yewa North and told him they were going to Ishaga Olowu.

“On their way, the accused switched off the ignition of the motorcycle. When the complainant came down to check what the problem was, the accused hit him on his head with a bottle and he fell down.

“Immediately, the convict and two others took the motorcycle phone, money and rode away. Unfortunately for them, they had an accident on their way, they abandoned the motorcycle and fled into the bush.

“The complainant recovered and pursued them with the help of another cyclist. They found his motorcycle at the scene of the accident.

“They went to the nearest village where the accident occurred and narrated what happened to the villagers.

“The villagers followed them to search the bush and caught the accused, while his accomplice escaped,” she said.