Court sentences 2 to death by hanging for armed robbery

Justice A. A. Onojovwo of the Delta State High Court, Warri, has sentenced two members of a notorious gang of armed robbers and kidnappers, Ejemuta Ogofure and Collins Okoro, to death by hanging for kidnappings and multiple armed robberies.

They were found guilty of the charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, kidnapping, attempted kidnap and demanding property with menace.

The Judge however discharged a 3rd accused person, 24-year old Jonny Oghenemairo, of all charges for want of sufficient evidence, but seriously warned him to desist from committing crime as he might not be lucky when arrested again.

Justice Onojovwo condemned the criminal acts of the two convicts for their complicity in armed robbery operations.

They were sentenced for kidnapping a lecturer with Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Ogboghro Vincent, on 7 May, 2012 at Irri, within the Oleh Judicial Division and also robbed him of his Honda Accord car with registration No. AL 51 LEH. They also demanded a ransom of N5 million before he could be released.

The prosecution further told the court that a ransom of N700,000 was eventually paid to his captors before he regained freedom after spending 10 days in captivity.

The convicts with others now at large, also kidnapped Mrs. Precious Ibenegbu at Oleh, and were taking her away, when their vehicle got stuck in a muddy road. The victim raise an alarm, which led to her rescue.

They also robbed Blessing Ese of his Honda Accord car with registration no BP 134 GWA and other valuables on 21 June, 2012, while armed with guns.

In his verdict, the trial Judge ruled that the State Prosecuting Counsel, Mrs. Jereoma Sam-Oligida, proved beyond reasonable doubt essential ingredients of the crime of conspiracy to kidnap Mr. Ogboghro Vincent, and the attempted kidnap of Mrs Precious Ibenegbu.

He also held that prosecution was able to establish the case of the substantial offence of kidnapping and multiple armed robberies against two out of the three accused persons arraigned before the court on a 10-count charge.

The trial judge sentenced them to death by hanging for the offences of armed robberies, five years imprisonment each for conspiracy to commit kidnapping and seven years imprisonment each for kidnapping.

They were charged under the old law that prescribed a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment for offenders.