Justice Haleema Salman of the Kwara State High court, Ilorin, on Thursday, sentenced five suspects, who had been standing trial over the Offa bank bloody armed robbery case to death by hanging.
The robbery took place on April 5, 2018, in Offa, Offa Local Government Council Area of the state, where about 32 persons, including nine policemen, were killed.
The court held that the convicts robbed and killed innocent citizens including nine police officers in Offa during the bloody robbery attack.
However, the judgement was meant to be delivered on August 2, 2024 but was put forward because of the August nationwide protest.
The six suspects: a policeman, Michael Adikwu (now deceased), Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham, were arrested in connection with the bloody bank robbery incident on April 5, 2018 in Offa, Kwara State.
Michael Adikwu, the leader of the robbery attack, reportedly died in police custody while the remaining five pleaded not guilty in court.
The remaining five suspects standing trial were present in court.
Justice Haleema Salman began reading the judgement at 9:14 am.
Rotimi Jacob was the lead prosecuting counsel while the lead defence counsel, Nathaniel Emeribe was not in court and was represented by A. S. Abdullahi.
Salman found the convicts guilty of the offence of culpable homicide, and armed robbery among others and ordered that they should be hung by the neck until they breathe no more.
The court, in the judgement, handed down three years imprisonment on the convicts for the offence of illegal possession of firearms based on the penal code law.
Justice Salman added that the convicts acted contrary to law and misbehaved by allowing their connections with power that be in government to lead them astray.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, expressed satisfaction over the verdict, appreciating the judge for being thorough despite several distractions that made the case to be prolonged.
Also, the counsel representing the convicts said that the judgement was not unexpected, noting that his principal was already combining all necessary documents for the appeal.
Hammed Shittu
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