By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Five members of Offa bank robbery gang were on Thursday convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for criminal possession of firearms, armed robbery, and culpable homicide in the Offa banks robbery.
Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin handed down the sentence after finding the defendants guilty as charged.
In the judgement, the judge held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that the offences committed by the convicts are punishable by death.
They were found guilty of conspiracy, armed robbery, culpable homicide, and illegal possession of firearms.
During investigation, the leader of the gang Michael Adikwu, died in police custody, while the other five were arraigned and they pleaded not guilty. The five members of the gang arraigned before the court are Ayoade Akinnibosun, Azeez Salahudeen, Niyi Ogundiran, Ibikunle Ogunleye, and Adeola Abraham.
Rotimi Jacob (SAN)who led the prosecuting team announced their appearance for the prosecution , while the lead defence counsel Nathaniel Emeribe was absent but represented by A.S. Abdullahi.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), on 5th April 2018, a group of armed bandits invaded the Offa community in Kwara State , killing nine serving police officers, looted the Offa Police Divisional Armoury, and stole 21AK 47 rifles and other ammunition.
The FIR further stated that the robbers took to the streets of the community, shooting sporadically and killed 21 innocent Nigerians. They also raided six financial institutions which are First Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Eco-Bank, Union Bank, and Micro Finance Bank, and made away with large sum of money.
The FIR stated that the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) led by DCP Abba Kyari and other arms of the Force arrested the suspects and indicated that during the investigation, the suspects confessed to participating in the robbery, and some of the weapons used were recovered from them.
