Two Convicted To Death By Hanging For Theft Of Phones, Cash, And Other Valuables In Ekiti

Two Convicted To Death By Hanging For Theft Of Phones, Cash, And Other Valuables In Ekiti....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti division, has handed down death sentences to two men, Benjamin Joseph, aged 32, and Stephen Orban, aged 25, for robbing two individuals of cash and valuables.

The convicts were brought before the court on December 30, 2022, facing a four-count charge related to conspiracy and armed robbery.

According to the charge, “On 16th August 2022 along Iluomoba Road, Aisegba Ekiti, the defendants conspired to commit a felony, armed robbery.”

“They were armed with locally made guns, knives, and cutlasses and robbed Daramola Christiana and Ajayi Alaba of their belongings, including phones, power banks, creams, drugs, ATM cards, and N105,000 cash, among other items,” the charge stated.

Testifying before the court, one of the victims, a trader, recounted being attacked by four armed men at a barricaded point at Aisegba Ekiti along Omuo – Ado Ekiti Road. “They took our phones, power banks, other valuables, and N105,000 cash before fleeing into the bush,” she recalled. “I was rescued by a sympathizer, and we made a formal complaint to the police.”

The prosecutor, Ibironke Odetola, presented six witnesses and submitted various items, including charms, phones, camouflage underwear, a hammer, three hoods, fake Dollar notes, and cutlasses, as exhibits. The defendants, represented by their lawyer, Adeyinka Opaleke, opted not to call any witnesses but spoke in their defense.

In the verdict delivered on Thursday, May 23, 2024, Justice Blessing Ajileye declared the defendants guilty, stating that the prosecution had established the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

“Consequently, the sentence of this court upon Benjamin Joseph and Stephen Orban is that​⬤