ADO EKITI, Ekiti State – An Ekiti State High Court has sentenced two men, Onileowo Rotimi and Adetola Ayodele, to death by hanging for armed robbery and kidnapping.
Justice Bamidele Omotoso delivered the verdict in Ado Ekiti, also sentencing both men, aged 42, to life imprisonment for conspiracy.
Rotimi and Ayodele were found guilty of attacking Mrs. Ajibola Oyelola at her home in Abuta Omuo Ekiti on October 7, 2016.
The prosecution charged them under Ekiti State laws related to conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, and terrorism.
During the trial, Mrs. Oyelola described the incident. She testified that five gunmen entered her home around 8:30 pm.
“They collected my car key and a sum of N78,000,” she told the court.
Mrs. Oyelola explained she was then blindfolded, tied up, and abducted. Her captors held her in a bush for eight days.
She stated she could identify her attackers as they were not masked during her captivity in the bush.
The kidnappers initially demanded N40 million ransom from her husband. He eventually paid N600,000, raised from friends and family, to secure her release.
Prosecutor Akinola Abon presented four witnesses. He also submitted confessional statements from Rotimi and Ayodele, which indicated they had met in prison before the attack.
The defendants did not call any witnesses in their defense.
“The prosecution has fruitfully proved the case of conspiracy, kidnapping and armed robbery against the defendants,” Justice Omotoso stated in his ruling.
He sentenced them to life imprisonment for kidnapping and ordered them to be hanged for the armed robbery conviction.
Kayode Ojo
