An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced three persons to death by hanging for robbing an 87-year-old woman of N186,000 and a wristwatch.
The convicts are Shadrack Apos, aged 30, Lucky Akpos, aged 33, and Adunola Precious, aged 24. They were found guilty on two counts of conspiracy and armed robbery.
According to court records, the robbery took place on June 12, 2024, at Ifaki Ekiti, where the defendants reportedly stormed the home of one Victoria Folorunso while she was asleep.
Testifying before the court, the victim said, “I was sleeping around 1 a.m. when I suddenly saw two persons in my room, one pointing a gun at my forehead while the other held a plank. They asked me to bring all the money I had in the house.”
She said the men took N100,000 from under her mattress, another N47,000 hidden in her underwear, and her wristwatch, which her children had given her. The robbers also ordered her to withdraw an additional N3 million from her account and give it to her househelp, Precious Adunola, for delivery.
“They warned me not to tell anyone or they would kidnap and kill me. They kept calling and threatening me afterward,” she told the court.
The prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, called two witnesses and presented exhibits, including a wooden gun, the defendants’ statements, and a search warrant.
In his judgment, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye held that the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, noting that the househelp, Adunola, played a key role by opening the door for the robbers.
He said, “From the believable evidence before the court, it is clear that the defendants planned and agreed to rob the victim. The charges of conspiracy and armed robbery have been proved beyond reasonable doubt.”
Justice Ogunmoye sentenced all three defendants to death by hanging, saying, “The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd defendants are to be hanged by the neck until they are dead. May God have mercy on their souls.”
