Court sentences three to death for murder of Army officer

The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, on Tuesday, sentenced three persons to death by hanging for the murder of Anthony Okeyin, a colonel and the Commandant, Nigeria Army Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan.

The three convicts sentenced to death by hanging are Agada Solomon, Taiwo Adeniyi, and Bibisoye Kehinde.

The judge Ezekiel Ajayi also sentenced the three to 14 years imprisonment each for conspiracy and armed robbery.

Three other defendants: Ewere Andrew, Udobata Oruza – Uzie and Ephraim Obi were discharged and acquitted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six defendants were arraigned in the case in 2016 on four counts of conspiracy, murder and armed robbery.

The judge found the convicts guilty on the count of conspiracy, count two of murder, count three of conspiracy and four counts of armed robbery.

“The first, second and third defendants gave confessional statements while the phone of the deceased commandant was found with the first defendant and are therefore convicted accordingly.

“The only offence of the sixth defendant, Ephraim Obi, is that his Camry car was used to commit the crime.

“However, establishing by evidence, therefore, Ewere Andrew, Udobata Oruza-Uzie, and Ephraim Obi are not guilty of armed robbery and are thereby discharged and acquitted,” Mr Ajayi said.

Earlier, the counsel to the convicts, F.O. Awonusi, in his “allocutus” urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

At trial, the prosecuting counsel, K. K. Oloso, had alleged that the convicts committed the offences on 12 December 2016 at 6:15 a.m.

The prosecutor informed the court that the defendants conspired at the Commandants Quarters of Nigeria Army Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan, to murder Mr Okeyin.

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”The defendants allegedly caused the death of Okeyin age 52, by breaking his skull while armed with offensive weapon and robbed him of his Samsung X4 phone and N45,000 cash,” Mr Oloso said.

She said the offence was contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

Mr Oloso said that the offence also contravened Section 1(2) (a) and (b) and Section 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

(NAN)