A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has sentenced two men to death by hanging for their involvement in kidnapping and armed robbery.
The convicts, Abubakar Sodiki and Abubakar Mohammed, were prosecuted on a six-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Ahmed Aliyu Gegele held that the evidence presented before the court clearly established the involvement of the defendants in the crimes.
The victim, Alhaji Saheed Arowasi of Boniya in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, had earlier recounted his ordeal while testifying before the court.
He told the court that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦100 million but later reduced the amount to ₦10 million after negotiations before he was eventually released.
Justice Gegele admitted statements made by both the defendants and the victim at the police station as part of the evidence considered in the case.
The prosecution counsel, Muslimah Suleiman, had argued that the charges against the defendants were sufficiently proven by the evidence presented before the court.
Before sentencing, the court asked the defendants to make their allocutus.
Counsel to the defendants, Shu’aib Ibrahim, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy. While the first defendant begged for leniency, the second defendant insisted he knew nothing about the allegations and urged the court to discharge and acquit him.
However, the prosecution informed the court that it was not aware of any previous criminal record against the defendants.
In his ruling, Justice Gegele stated that although the court considered the pleas of the defendants, it could not exercise discretion where the law clearly prescribed punishment for the offences committed.
The court subsequently sentenced the defendants to death by hanging on counts one and two relating to armed robbery.
For illegal possession of firearms, the court sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment, while for kidnapping the convicts were handed life imprisonment.
The judge ruled that the sentences would run in accordance with the provisions of the law.
Following the judgment, defence counsel Shu’aib Ibrahim requested a Certified True Copy of the ruling to enable the defence study it and determine the next legal step.
The case commenced on April 29, 2025, with final addresses adopted on July 30, 2025, before judgment was delivered.
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