Court sentences three men to death for armed robbery in Ondo

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced three men, Uche Onu, Ekene Okorie and Celestine Eze, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of armed robbery.

Justice William Olamide delivered the judgment after holding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and established that the convicts acted together in carrying out the crime.

The court heard that the incident occurred at Gasland Nigeria Limited in Akure on April 25, 2024, when the robbers allegedly attacked the facility and carted away a vehicle and gas cylinders.

During the operation, the gang was said to have overpowered a security guard and struck him on the head with an iron rod before escaping with the stolen items.

Prosecutors told the court that Onu and Okorie were later arrested in Benin City while in possession of the stolen vehicle and failed to provide a satisfactory explanation regarding its ownership.

Their arrest reportedly led detectives to Eze, who was alleged to have coordinated the robbery. Investigators also recovered an empty gas cylinder in Lagos following information provided during the investigation.

The defendants denied involvement in the crime, maintaining that they were arrested separately in Anambra State and Onitsha, where they claimed to have been engaged in legitimate activities.

In his judgment, Justice Olamide ruled that the evidence showed the robbery was carried out by the armed men and that the defendants participated in the operation. He consequently sentenced them to seven years imprisonment for conspiracy and death by hanging for armed robbery.