The judge, Justice
Olusegun Ogunyemi, gave the verdict at the conclusion
of trial.
The convicts are Kolade Fowosere, a
medical student; Blessing Owhorisi, also a student and Ojo Ogundare, a
vulcanizer operating in Ado-Ekiti.
Delivering his judgment, Ogunyemi
said the evidence before the court was direct and unequivocal.
He said that the accused were
convicted based on the confessional statements they made during investigation.
Ogunyemi said he found them guilty
as charged, saying “the three accused persons should be hanged till life is out
of them.”
The prosecuting State Counsel, Mr
Gbenga Daramola, said the accused committed the offence on July 4, 2011 at
Omisanjana quarters in Ado-Ekiti.
According to him, the offence
contravens Section 319, 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special
Provision) Act, cap RII, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014.
Daramola called seven witnesses to
prove his case, and the defence counsel, Mr Chris Omokhafe, called four
witnesses.
The state counsel urged the court to
resolve the case in favour of the State, based on the confessional statements
made by the convicts in the course of investigation.
He said the accused were said to
have robbed at Ido-Ekiti, Omisanjana and Moferere in Ado-Ekiti.
He told the court that they also
killed a police officer, Olusegun Olufowobi, popularly called “of London”,
during their operation at Moferere on July 20, 2011.
He said that the accused also raped
a lady in the course of their operation.
The defence counsel, however, urged
the court to resolve all doubts in the prosecution witnesses in favour of his
clients.
He said the evidences given by the
prosecution were mere hearsay, and that his clients should be discharged and
acquitted.
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