The Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Tuesday sentenced three persons to death for killing a corps member, Adebayo Mukaila, in Osogbo, Osun State capital.

The convicts, Oludayo Oladele, Awodeji Muyiwa, and Jelili Kareem, who were also charged with other offences bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms, were said to have committed the inhuman act on Jan 28, 2020, in the Omo West Area of the town.

During the trial, a prosecutor from the Ministry of Justice, Muyiwa Ogunleye, told the court that the convicts conspired to rob and kill one Mukaila of his phone, recharge cards, and other valuable items.

He, however, maintained that the offence of conspiracy to murder was contrary to & punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 34, Vol. 2, Laws of Osun, 2002.

“The offence of armed robbery was contrary to Section 6(b) and punishable under Section 1(2)(a) and (b) of the Robbery & Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap RII, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“The offence of unlawful possession of firearms was contrary to & punishable under Section 27(1)(b)(ii) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004,” he said.

The Chief State Counsel, Mr Muyiwa Ogunleye, and his colleague, the State Counsel, Mrs Ibukun Adeoye, who prosecuted the case, however, called for four witnesses and tender exhibits in support of the case.

The prosecutor thereafter tendered as exhibits the deceased’s autopsy report and the murder weapon before the court.

In their submissions, the defence counsels, Shina Olaniyan, Folashade Ipede, and Suleiman Akano, gave evidence in their defence and called for no additional witnesses.

They thereafter prayed the court to dismiss the case against the convicts, arguing that “the prosecution did not prove the case of murder, conspiracy to rob, and unlawful possession of firearms against the defendants”.

In his judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Adedapo Adeniji, affirmed that the prosecution proved all the cases beyond reasonable doubt.

He then sentenced three convicts for the offences to death and discharged and acquitted one, Anifowose Buliaminu, for receiving stolen recharge cards. (Nigerian Tribune)