An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced two men, David Friday and Innocent Victor, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery, conspiracy and impersonating security personnel.
Justice W.R. Olamide, delivering judgment, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that Friday, a serving police officer attached to Olofin Police Station, Idanre, and Victor, who falsely claimed to be a soldier, carried out a series of violent robberies in Idanre on January 15, 2021.
According to court testimony, the pair dressed in police and military uniforms accosted multiple victims at night, armed with jack knives, a pistol, and riding a black TVS motorcycle.
They were said to have assaulted victims, stolen cash totalling over ₦136,000, and even forced one victim to fuel their motorcycle with 30 litres of petrol.
Prosecution witnesses recounted how the men stopped vehicles, beat drivers, and confiscated money and valuables.
In one case, a transporter was dragged from his bus, beaten with sticks, robbed of ₦125,000, and stabbed in the leg.
Inspector Ilesanmi Samuel, prosecuting, told the court that police investigations confirmed Friday’s service in the Nigeria Police Force, while the Nigerian Army verified that Victor was not a soldier. Both men reportedly confessed to the crimes.
Justice Olamide consequently convicted them on all four counts and imposed the death penalty.