It is recalled that the judgment was meant to be delivered on August 2, 2024, but was put forward because of the August nationwide protest.
Six suspects: a policeman, Michael Adikwu (now deceased), Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Abraham were arrested in connection with the bloody bank robbery incident on April 5, 2018 in Offa, Kwara state.
It was reported that Michael Adikwu, the leader of the robbery attack, died in police custody while the remaining five pleaded not guilty in court.
The remaining five suspects standing trial were present in court on Thursday.
Justice Haleema Salman began reading the judgement at 9:14 am with Rotimi Jacob, who is the lead prosecuting counsel present while the lead defence counsel, Nathaniel Emeribe was not in court was represented by A. S. Abdullahi.
Justice Haleema Salman found the convicts; Ayo Akinibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran guilty of the offence of culpable homicide, armed robbery among others and ordered that they are hung by the neck until they breath no more.
As the case progressed, the convicts pleaded various alibis contrary to their confessional statements in a desperate bid to cover up their involvement in the crime, the court said.
Delivering her verdict, presiding Justice Haleema Salman said there was abundant evidence that the convicts were partners in crime, adding that their material contradictions watered down their alibis and made them worthless.
Justice Salman said that the prosecution proved the offences against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
“The video clips in the court to show the culpability of the defendants made their alibis worthless, a desperate attempt to cover up and afterthought.
“The law is clear that once a person is present at the scene of a crime such a person is culpable. Any person who fires AK47 at close at a person should that the consequence is death.
“The five defendants are hereby convicted for bordering on illegal possession of firearms, armed robbery and culpable homicide punishable by death.
“I order that the five of you are to be hanged until you are pronounced dead.
“It is however unfortunate that we are witnessing these five able-bodied men who had all the opportunities to better their lots by living decently.
“And some of them were connected to the powers that be then. But they allowed that opportunity to enter their heads and became smart by running afoul of the law and think they will get away with it forgetting that Nigeria is a country where the rule of law operates.
“Their lives cannot be more important to the tens of lives lost in the robbery and murder. The court has applied man-made law but vengeance is of God.”
The court, in the judgement, handed down three years imprisonment on the convicts for the offence of illegal possession of firearms based on the penal code law.
Justice Salman added that the convicts acted contrary to law and misbehaved by allowing their connections with power that be in government to lead them astray.
The prosecution counsel, Barrister Rotimi Jacobs, expressed satisfaction over the verdict, appreciating the judge for being thorough despite several distractions that made the case prolonged.
Also, the counsel representing the convicts said that the judgement is not unexpected, noting that his principal is already combining all necessary documents for the appeal.
The offences according to the presiding judge, Justice Haleemah Salman are punishable by death.
The accused persons are Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez, and Niyi Ogundiran.
Michael Adikwu, the sixth suspect, who was a retired police officer, died in custody before the trial began.
No fewer than 32 people including nine policemen and eight civilians were killed in the robbery operation.
Six years after the incident, Justice Salman found the accused persons of robbing and killing innocent citizens and sentenced them to death by hanging.
The judge said, “The convicts acted contrary to the law and allowed their connections with those in power at the time to lead them astray.”
Recall that in 2019 while being led in evidence in the trial-within-trial by their counsel, Mathias Emeribe, one of the suspects, Akinnibosun, said he was tortured and threatened by the police to make the confessional statements.
He also alleged that Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, also asked him and the other accused persons to implicate the then Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
However, after the judgement, the lead prosecution counsel, Barrister Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) expressed satisfaction, saying the judge was thorough despite distractions that prolonged the trial.
