The Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced three persons to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery against an 87-year-old woman.
The convicts, Shadrack Apos (30), Lucky Akpos (33), and Adunola Precious (24), were convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.
According to the charge, the trio conspired to rob Madam Victoria Folorunso at her home in Ifaki-Ekiti on June 12, 2024, dispossessing her of ₦147,000 in cash and a wristwatch while armed with a gun and wooden planks — offences contrary to Sections 421 and 321 (2)(b) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.
During the trial, the octogenarian victim told the court that she was asleep around 1 a.m. when two men entered her room — one pointing a gun at her forehead and another wielding a plank.
She said they took money hidden under her mattress and inside her underwear, as well as her wristwatch, before threatening to shoot her if she reported the crime.
“I told them I had ₦3 million in my account, and they instructed me to withdraw it the next day and give it to my househelp, Adunola Precious, to deliver to them,” she recounted. “They did not wear masks, and they spoke freely with my househelp.”
The prosecution, led by Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, presented two witnesses and tendered key exhibits, including a wooden gun and the defendants’ statements. The defence, represented by Oluwatoyin Marcus and Mitchel Aribisala, called one witness each.
In his judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the evidence clearly established that the defendants jointly planned and executed the robbery.
The judge particularly found that Adunola Precious, the victim’s househelp, played a central role by allowing the robbers access to the house.
He said, “From the believable evidence before the court, it is clear that the prosecution has been able to establish that the defendants planned and agreed to rob the victim. The charge of conspiracy and armed robbery has therefore been proved beyond reasonable doubt.”
Justice Ogunmoye consequently convicted all three and sentenced them to death by hanging.
“The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants are to be hanged by the neck until they are dead. May God have mercy on their souls,” he declared.
