An Ikeja High Court have sentenced a 45-year-old trader identified as Morufu Adekoya popularly known as Six Tiger to death by hanging over armed robbery and rape offences.
WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the convict was sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery and bagged 15 years imprisonment for raping a 24-year-old student.
According to reports, the convict was charged to court alongside two others – Adefowope Kazeem (a 28-year-old cobbler) and Chief Jimoh Balogun (a 58-year-old traditional ruler and Baale of Odo-Onosa community since September 2013).
Adekoya reportedly committed the said offence on March 26, 2014 at Odo-Onosa Epe community of Lagos.
The State Prosecuting counsel, Mrs. O.R. Ahmed Muili alleged that he and other co-defendants who were heavily armed invaded the community, robbed the residents of their valuables and also raped a 24-year-old undergraduate.
While Kazeem and Balogun were discharged and acquitted of all the four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and rape, Adekoya was found guilty of rape and armed robbery.
Justice Adebiyi who presided over the case said;
“The court finds that the prosecution has failed to prove that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants conspired to commit the alleged offence of robbery. The prosecution’s evidence pointed only to the 1st defendant (Adekoya) who was positively identified at the scene of the crime.
“However, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants are hereby discharged on count 1 (conspiracy to robbery). The 2nd and 3rd defendants are also discharged on counts 2, 3 and 4 (armed robbery and rape).
“But the evidence of the presence of the 1st defendant and others (at large), who took part in the offence, is overwhelming and the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt a case of armed robbery and rape against Adekoya.”