Five persons have been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging by a Minna High Court for armed robbery.
Justice Mohammed Adishetu, who handed the capital punishment, held that all the issues raised by the prosecuting counsel from the office of the Niger State Attorney General, Mohammed Kutigi, have been resolved in favour of the prosecution and against the defendants.
The five convicts include; Mikisal Ibrahim, Abubakar Ibrahim, Anthony Ibrahim, Aliyu Mohammed and Murtala Junaidu, all residents of Minna, the Niger State capital.
They were arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and causing grievous hurt.
The convicts were arraigned for an offence punishable under the provisions of sections 1(1) and 2 (A) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap 11, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, section 247 of the penal code law, and Cap 94, Laws of Niger State.
According to the prosecution, the five convicts had on the 9th, of July 2023, at about 2.15 am invaded the residence of one Abdulkareem Abdullahi of Talakawa Pharmacy in Tunga area of Minna, armed themselves with dangerous weapons including, a machete, cutlasses and a cudgel and robbed him of his valuables and cash amount of N250,000.
Four witnesses, who included the Investigative Police Officers (IPOs) from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, and the daughters of the robbery victim, testified against the convicts.
Delivering the judgement that lasted over two hours, Justice Mohammed Adishetu held that all the issues raised, as well as the evidence and testimonies of the five convicts, had been proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and they were found guilty of the 3-count charge brought against them.
“Having resolved the question issue raised against the defendants, they are hereby sentenced to death by hanging until they are confirmed dead”, Justice Adishetu ruled.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
