The Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Thursday sentenced two bandits, Abubakar Sodiki and Abubakar Mohammed, to death by hanging after convicting them of armed robbery.
The defendants were prosecuted on a six-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
Besides the death sentence, the court also imposed life imprisonment on the convicts for kidnapping and an additional 10-year prison term for illegal possession of firearms.
Testifying before the court, the victim, Alhaji Saheed Arowasi from Boniya community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, recounted that his abductors initially demanded a ransom of N100m but later reduced it to N10m before he regained his freedom.
While delivering the judgment, Justice Ahmed Aliyu Gegele ruled that the prosecution had established the guilt of the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge noted that the court relied on statements obtained from both the suspects and the victim at the police station, as well as other evidence presented during the trial.
Prior to sentencing, the court granted the convicts the opportunity to address it. The first defendant appealed for mercy, while the second defendant insisted he had no involvement in the crime.
Justice Gegele, however, stated that the law clearly prescribes punishment for the offences and that the court could not exercise discretion contrary to the provisions of the law.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Muslimah Suleiman, argued that the charges against the defendants had been convincingly proven, while defence counsel, Shu’aib Ibrahim, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Consequently, the court sentenced the two men to death by hanging on the armed robbery charges, life imprisonment for kidnapping and 10 years’ imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms.
The case, which commenced on April 29, 2025, reached its conclusion after the adoption of final written addresses on July 30, 2025, leading to Thursday’s judgment.
Following the verdict, the defence team applied for a certified true copy of the court’s decision to review it and decide on the next legal step.
