Court sentences two armed robbers to death in Kwara

A Kwara State high court, sitting in Ilorin has sentenced two convicted armed robbers to death by hanging.

The presiding judge, Justice Aminat Ishiaq, in his judgement, sentenced the convicts; Adeyemi Aderinkomi and Timothy Ajayi, after finding them guilty of conspiracy, culpable homicide and armed robbery.

The duo had killed Mr and Mrs Micheal Aigbe of Fate area, Ilorin in December 2016 by tieing their hands with ropes, before dumping them inside a well alive and locked the well up to prevent them from being rescued.

The judgement revealed that the convicts made away with the victims’ car, money, clothes and many other valuable items after killing them.

The prosecutor, Barrister Ishola Olofere, who expressed satisfaction over the judgement, said it would serve as a deterrent to other criminals and curtail criminality in the state.

It is recalled that the convicts had earlier admitted to robbing and killing a couple, Mr Micheal Akhigbe (65) and Juana (60), at the Fate Area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: PDP commends health workers

One of the convicts, Ajayi, who said he is a teacher had disclosed that he became an armed robber because of financial problem, adding that, “I regret it. I have only tried to dupe one person, but I was not successful. I am a teacher”.

The other convict, Adeyemi said the couple did not offend them, adding that they robbed the family after they were informed that the couple had important documents in their possession.

A family member of the deceased, Mr Bernard John, had on December 21, 2016, reported at the ‘F’ division, Tanke, Ilorin, that he visited the house of the deceased to convey him to work, only for him to discover that the couple were nowhere to be found.

Also, a former commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Olusola Amore, had reported that on the strength of Mr Bernard John’s report, police detectives visited the house and found bloodstains in the room of the couple.

He said that a search in the compound led the detectives to where the bodies of the deceased were, adding that the couple’s bodies were found in a well on the premises, adding that the corpses had been recovered.

The police report had said that: “Investigation led to the arrest of Aderinkomi and Ajayi, who were the masterminds of the crime.

“They confessed to the crime. Ajayi also confessed to raping the woman before they killed her and her husband, carting away their property, which included one Toyota Camry, two mobile phones, among others.

“The suspects sold some of the stolen items to Akingbade Ademila and Toyose Alade, who had been arrested.

“To cover their track, they set the Toyota Camry ablaze. They confessed to have dumped the victims in the well to prevent detection. The exhibits were recovered from the receivers, while efforts are on to arrest other suspects on the run. They will soon be charged to court.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE