Osun State High Court sitting in Ikirun has sentenced three suspected robbers to death by hanging on Thursday over bank robbery.
The robbers identified as Nuhu Jimoh, David Ndubisi and Oluwaseun Aderibigbe were sentenced to death by Justice Jide Falola.
No fewer than thirty-two people including two police personnels and bank workers were killed during the exchange of gunfire between the robbers and the police during the robbery that occurred on February 12 , 2016.
Delivering judgment, Justice Falola found the men guilty of launching coordinated attacks on the First Bank, Union Bank and Skye Bank situated on the same street in Ikirun in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state and pronounced the death sentence on them.
The judge said the gun recovered from the convicts during the bank robbery be forfeited to the Nigeria Police while the money recovered from them be forfeited to Osun Government.
The convicts were first arraigned on June 29, 2017, on 10 count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, murder, illegal possession of firearms and others.
The State Counsel, Mr Biodun Badiora said the offences were contrary to Section 6(b), 1(1) & (2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11 L.F.N, 2004, Section 319 of the Criminal Code Law Cap. 34 Laws of Osun State, 2002, and Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11 L.F.N, 2004, respectively.
Badiora told the court that the convicts on Feb. 12, 2016 at about 3:30 pm, in a coordinated bank robbery, attacked First Bank, Union Bank and Skye Bank, situated along the same street in Ikirun, simultaneously.
The prosecution counsel said during the robbery, combined team of policemen from Iragbiji police Division, Ikirun police Patrol Team and Special Anti-robbery Squad, responded to distress call and gun duel ensued between the armed robbers and the policemen at the scene.
He said investigations revealed that seven members of armed gang were killed by police at the scene of crime, while some others escaped with gunshots injuries.
He said seven assorted ammunitions including AK-47 gun Israeli and Russian made and N7, 486,300.00 taken from the banks were recovered by the Police.
Badiora said five witnesses were called and 30 exhibits tendered.
Defence counsel Sunday Atofarati and Ajibade Omoyajowo pleaded with the Judge to temper justice with mercy.
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