A Jos High Court on Friday sentenced two men, Abdulahi Saidu and Mohammed Salihu, to death by hanging for robbing a man of his motorcycle and N20,000 cash.

The Judge, Justice I.A. Ashom, handed down the sentence after finding the two guilty of the crime.

“Due to the evidence before this court presented by the prosecution and your admittance to committing the crime, the court has found you guilty.

“You are hereby sentenced to death by hanging for criminal conspiracy and robbery.

“Each of you shall be hanged by the neck till you are dead, may God have mercy on your souls,” he ruled.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the two men were first arraigned on Nov. 25, 2015, accused of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr M.I. Mantu, had told court that the duo committed the crime on May 2, 2015, at Lashin Dungep Village, Qua-apan LGA in Plateau, when they attacked one Wilfred Mankat with a cutlass and other dangerous weapons.

Mantu said the accused persons beat up the victim and thereafter, dispossessed him of his motorcycle and N20,000 cash.

The prosecutor said that the duo had told police in a confessional statement that they committed the crime.

The first accused in his statement, read by the prosecutor stated that they armed themselves with a cutlass and went to the victim’s house and found him sleeping.

Mantu said that the first accused, Saidu, in the statement said they woke him up with beatings and demanded for the key and particulars of his motorcycle after which they collected N20, 000 and zoomed off.

The prosecutor further quoted the accused as saying that the second accused took the motorcycle to his house but the victim and the police trailed the tyre marks, leading to their arrest.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 6(b) and 1(1&2) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, an offence punishable with death by hanging upon conviction. (NAN)

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