Three people were sentenced to death by the Osun State High Court in Ile-Ife on Tuesday, July 9, for killing Mukaila Adebayo, a corps member, during a robbery operation in Osogbo.
Justice Adedapo Adeniji found three people guilty: Oludayo Oludele, a commercial motorbike rider, Jelili Kareem, a herbal salesman, and Muyiwa Awodeji, an electrician.
The accused were arraigned, put on trial, and found guilty on counts of murder, armed robbery, conspiracy, and illegal gun possession.
According to Justice Adeniji, the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt each element of the charges against the accused.
As a result, he found all three of them guilty and executed them. However, due to a lack of thorough prosecution, the judge dismissed the fourth defendant, Anifowose Buliaminu, and found him not guilty. Buliaminu faced accusations of obtaining pilfered goods.
The court was previously informed by Muyiwa Ogunleye, the prosecution’s attorney, that the defendants committed the offences on January 28, 2020, in Omo West Area, Osogbo. He claimed that Adebayo Mukaila, the victim, was robbed and killed by the inmates.
“They were later arrested and charged to court of offences bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, murder and unlawful possession of firearms,” Ogunleye said.
According to the prosecution’s attorney, the conspiratorial and murderous acts violated sections 516 and 324 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 34, Vol 2, Laws of Osun, 2002.
As per his statement, the Robbery & Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap RII, Law of Federation of Nigeria, 2004 penalises armed robbery, which is against Section 6(b).
In his view, the acts related to the illicit possession of firearms also violate the provisions of Section 27(1)(b)(ii) of the Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004’s Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap. R11.
During the trial, Ogunleye and Ibukun Adeoye, his colleague, had brought four witnesses and presented exhibits to substantiate the offences against the convicts.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli