24-year-old man identified as Sola Jegede has been sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery by an Ekiti State high court sitting in Ado Ekiti.

In his judgement, Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde found the defendant found guilty as charged on counts 1, 2 and 3 for the offence.

The defendant was charged with offences of armed robbery and rape, which was committed on 30th October 2015 at Oda Ponna Street, Omuo Ekiti.

The defendant armed with offensive weapons such as a gun, knives, dagger and club to rob Ilesanmi Ibukun, Ilesanmi Seun and Ilesanmi Tope of their phones and an undisclosed sum of money contrary to sections 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 358 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

Justice Abodunde, however, discharged and acquitted the defendant on counts 4 and 5 saying, no reasonable court can convict him on the offence of rape, given the totality of the evidence of prosecution with respect of offence of rape.

“He is accordingly convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for the offence of armed robbery and may the Lord have mercy on his soul.”

To prove his case, the prosecutor, Omobola Oyewole called seven witnesses while exhibits tendered include Blackberry and Nokia Phones, a dagger, a knife among others while the defendant spoke in his own defence through his counsel Adedayo Adewumi Esq and called no witnesses.