The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Friday dismissed the appeals of five men convicted over the 2018 Offa bank robbery, upholding their death sentences.
PUNCH Online reports that the appellate court, in a unanimous verdict delivered by Justices Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi, Gabriel Kolawole, and Abdul Dogo, affirmed the judgement of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced the convicts to death by hanging.
The five men — Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun, and Adeola Abraham — were found guilty of armed robbery, culpable homicide, and illegal possession of firearms in connection with coordinated attacks on five commercial banks in Offa Local Government Area in April 2018.
In a statement on Saturday, the Kwara State Director of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Akande, said the Court of Appeal found no reason to interfere with the trial court’s judgement.
“The Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, comprising Hon. Justice Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi JCA, Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole JCA, and Hon. Justice Abdul Dogo JCA, on Friday affirmed the judgement of Hon. Justice H. A. Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced the appellants — Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun, and Adeola Abraham — to death by hanging for their involvement in the Offa bank robbery,” the statement said.
“The appellants failed to establish any miscarriage of justice. The Court of Appeal agreed with the High Court that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and upheld the convictions.
“The court dismissed all their grounds of appeal and upheld their convictions. They have been taken back to prison,” it added.
It will be recalled that Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court handed down the death sentences after a six-year trial that drew nationwide attention.
In her four-hour judgement, the trial judge noted that the convicts “acted contrary to the law and allowed their connections with those in power at the time to lead them astray.”
In addition to the death penalty, the court also sentenced the convicts to three years’ imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms.
Lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the appellate court’s judgement as “thorough and well-considered,” saying it reaffirmed the strength of the case against the convicts despite delays that prolonged the trial.
On the defence side, counsel to one of the convicts, Abdullah Jimba, said preparations were underway to file a final appeal at the Supreme Court.
PUNCH Online recalls that Ayoade Akinnibosun, Salawu Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham were convicted of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, and culpable homicide.
A sixth suspect, Michael Adikwu, a retired police officer, died in custody before the commencement of the trial.
The convictions arose from the April 2018 coordinated bank robbery in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, during which five commercial banks were attacked.
At least 32 people, including nine police officers, were killed in the incident, making it one of the deadliest bank robberies in Nigeria’s history.
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