An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti division, has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Babalola Olatomide, to life imprisonment for offences bordering on conspiracy and attempted murder.
According to the charge, the defendant and one other at large, on January 23, 2019, on Falegan Estate, Ado Ekiti, robbed one Bolakale Ajayi of his phone and laptop.
“He was armed with an offensive weapon on the same day, place and time, and did shoot same victim with a double-barrelled pistol,” the charge added.
The police prosecutor, Julius Ajibare, said the offences contravened Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 320 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap.16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.
In his testimony before the court, the victim said, “I came to school in Ado Ekiti from Ogun State. I was with my friend, eating in our room around 9 pm when suddenly two boys entered our room. They asked us, ‘Who among you is Tosin?’ We said none of us was Tosin.
“Thereafter, they demanded our phones and laptops, but we refused to give them. One of them, now at large, picked up my phone and laptop. I tried to hold him. In the process, one of them who held a gun shot me twice in the leg with the double-barrelled pistol.
“The one who picked my phone and laptop escaped with them, but the one who shot me was overpowered and arrested with the gun. I was rushed to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, for medical attention and treatment.”
The prosecutor, Ajibare, called five witnesses and tendered one locally-made double-barrelled pistol, one axe and the statement of the defendant, among others, as exhibits.
In the court judgment, Justice Monisola Abodunde said, “The evidence before me established conspiracy between the defendant and his friend now at large and I so hold.
“On the whole, I find the defendant guilty of the offence of conspiracy, contrary to Section 516 A of the Criminal Code Cap. 16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012 and he is equally found guilty of attempted murder, contrary to Section 320 Criminal Code Cap. 16, Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria, 2012.”
The judge sentenced the defendant to seven years imprisonment on count one (conspiracy), life imprisonment on count two (attempted murder) and discharged and acquitted him on count three (armed robbery).
