Four men sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery, murder in Osun

Blessing Akorowosi, Osogbo

An Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo has sentenced four men to death by hanging having been found guilty of armed robbery and murder.

The convicts were Hammed Rafiu, 37, Rasidi Waidi, 39, Kayode Sunday, 29, and Owolabi Bashiru, 54, a security guard, who were arraigned before the Court on the 23rd day of October, 2019 on six counts charges.

The six count charges are: conspiracy, contrary to section 6(b), Armed Robbery, contrary to and punishable under section 1(1) and (2) (a) (b), of the Robbery and Firearms (special provisions) Act, Cap R11, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, Conspiracy to murder, contrary to section 324, murder, contrary to and punishable under section 319, stealing, contrary to and punishable under section 390(9) and kidnapping, contrary to and punishable under section 364 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

They had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them, but the court ordered their remand in correctional custody.

According to the prosecution counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Dele Akintayo, the  four men gang murdered one Victor Akinbile, a cousin of former Deputy Governor, Adegboyega Benedict Alabi who travelled down to Ikirun, Osun State on the 26th day of November, 2018 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mr. Benedict Gboyega Alabi and former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

Barr Akintayo informed the Court that Victor Akinbile who slept in his uncle’s house at Moboreje Area, Ikirun called his wife upon arrival in the said house on 26 November, 2018 to inform her of his safe arrival.

Prosecution Counsel further said that Owolabi Bashiru, a security guard opposite the house informed Hammed Rafiu, Rashidi Waidi and Kayode Sunday that Victor Akinbile had arrived from Lagos and lodged in a house directly opposite his duty post at Basorun House Moboreje Area, Ikirun on 26 of November, 2018.

The convicts, who were reportedly armed with offensive weapons, jumped the fence into the house owned by Victor Akinbile’s uncle; they were armed with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons during their robbery operation, and they forcibly gained entrance into the room where Victor slept.

Having gained entrance into the house through burglary window they demanded the sum of Ten million Naira from Victor who told them he didn’t have up to that amount, disclosing that he had N5million in his bank account. He transferred a sum of N3m to Hammed Rafiu Bank account in United Bank for Africa (UBA), who collected hundreds of thousand of Naira cash from the victim and threatened to kill him.

After collecting over N3.1m cash from him, the convicts later kidnapped Victor Akinbile and put him inside his Toyota Camry car boot and drove him to Dominion Camp, area old Iragbiji road along Ikirun/Osogbo road and set him and car ablaze which caused the death of Victor Akinbile.

The trial investigation revealed that Hammed Rafiu, Rashidi Waidi and Kayode Sunday had earlier robbed Alhaji Azeez Olusegun behind Oluwo’s House Eweta, Ikirun on October 8,2018 where the trio stole a Toyota Camry (muzzle) with registration number JJJ 371 AA LAGOS, also collected ₦620,000.

Hammed Rafiu and Rashidi Waidi were arrested at Ogijo in Ogun State, Kayode Sunday in Ondo State, while Owolabi Bashiru was nabbed in Ikirun.

Barrister Akintayo had earlier called four (4) witnesses and tendered several exhibits before the Court, where the convicts testified by themselves.

Counsel to Owolabi Bashiru, fourth accused person, Barr S.B Ajibade  and Adedayo Adedeji counsel to Hammed Rafiu, Rashidi Waidi and Kayode Sunday earlier told the court that there was no evidence to show that the accused persons held a meeting before the robbery incident and urged the Court to discharge and acquit the accused.

Justice Falola agreed that prosecution Counsel Dele Akintayo Esq. has proven his case beyond any reasonable doubt and convicted them on six counts charges preferred against them.

In his judgement, Honourable Justice Jide Falola sentenced them accordingly; count one, life imprisonment; count two, death sentence; count three, life imprisonment; count four, death; count five, five years imprisonment and count six, 7 years imprisonment.

Justice Falola termed the case as technology assisted  and he applauded the Nigeria Police Force for their efforts in tracking down the convicts location and their bank accounts.