A Lagos High Court yesterday sentenced an aluminum fabricator, Akeem Lawal, to death by hanging for attempted murder and robbery.
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye convicted Lawal of strangling, shooting and attacking his stepmother and stepsister with an axe before he and his gang stole their laptop, phones and jewellery in 2013.
Delivering judgment, Justice Ipaye said the prosecution proved “beyond reasonable doubt that there was robbery, armed robbery and that the defendant was one of the robbers who attacked the victims.”
The judge held: “I have no reason to doubt the evidence of the victims, as they were eyewitnesses and also had a close opportunity to see the robbers.
“… I am, therefore, satisfied that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“I find you guilty as charged on count one of conspiracy to robbery and guilty on count two of armed robbery as charged in the amended charge”.
Before the verdict, the court allowed the convict’s counsel, E.B. Obogwu, to make an allocutus (plea of sentence to mitigation).
Obogwu said: “My Lord, I urge this court to temper justice with mercy. The defendant has a son who is dependent on him and if given another chance, he will not toe that line again.”
But, discountenancing her plea, the court observed that Lawal was not remorseful of his actions.
“The convict shall be hanged until he dies. May the Lord God have mercy on your soul,” Justice Ipaye held.
Lawal was arraigned on May 3, 2016, on an amended two-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, contrary to sections 297 and 295 (2)(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The prosecution team led by Mr. Akin George said the incident occurred at about 2am on November 30, 2013, at 12, Lawal Street, Akowonjo, in Egbeda area of Lagos State.
George said Lawal and two other masked men broke down the front door of the home of his stepsister, Sherifat Olanipekun, with an axe.
He said they robbed her, shot her in the back before attacking her with an axe in the head.
George added that they attacked her 90-year-old mother, Taibat Lawal, and left both to die.
Olanipekun, the first prosecution witness, confirmed that Lawal was her stepbrother, adding that his mother left him when he was three years old.
She said she and her mother took care of him, enrolled him in a regular school and Arabic schools and sponsored him to learn aluminum fabrication.
Olanipekun said: “On the day of the incident, I was working on some decorations for my church when I heard a loud sound. I woke up my son, Abiodun, before going to block the door to prevent the robbers from entering the house, but they pulled down the door with an axe.”
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