A Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, has sentenced a street urchin, Nojeem Badmos, to death by hanging for armed robbery.
Delivering judgment, Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, held that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt, the ingredients of the two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery.
Justice Abike-Fadipe described the defendant’s account of the incident as inconsistent.
According to her, evidence of the prosecution witness, Adetokunbo Solomon (victim), was proven cogent and true.
She held that the defendant in the company of two others still at large did rob Solomon of his bag and other valuables early one morning as he stood at a bus stop on his way to work sometime in July 2019.
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Abike-Fadipe said: “On his way to work at the bus stop somewhere in Alagbado area of the state, noticed a motorcyclist carrying two passengers approaching him.
“He suspected danger and began to run but the two passengers on the bike came down and ran after him. He fell in the mud and the two others chased after him, caught up with him and beat him up.
Justice Abike-Fadipe said: “ In respect to the offence of conspiracy to commit robbery, I sentence you to 21 years jail term.
“In respect to armed robbery having being found guilty, you will be hanged on the neck until you are dead and may the Lord have mercy on you,” she said.
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Meanwhile, the judge told the defence counsel that the law was clear on the punishment of armed robbery, however, gave him an opportunity for his allocutus.
The defence counsel, Mr Ajibade Benson, in his allocutus prayed for the court to be lenient as the defendant was a first time offender.
The prosecution counsel, Mrs Adebanke Ogunde did not object to the judgment.
Conspiracy and armed robbery contravenes the provisions of sections 299 and 297 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
