The Court of Appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Friday dismissed the appeals of five men convicted for the 2018 Offa bank robbery, upholding their death sentences.
The appellate court, in an unanimous verdict delivered by Justices Ridwan Maiwada Abdullahi, Gabriel Kolawole and Abdul Dogo, affirmed the judgement of the Kwara State High Court, which sentenced the convicts to death by hanging.
The five men – Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun and Adeola Adeola Abraham – were found guilty of armed robbery, culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms in connection with coordinated attacks on five commercial banks in Offa Local Government Area in April 2018.
The Kwara State Director of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Akande, said the Court of Appeal saw no reason to interfere with the trial court’s judgement.
He said the appellants failed to establish any miscarriage of justice. The Court of Appeal agreed with the High Court that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and upheld the convictions.”
It would be recalled that Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court had handed down the death sentences after a six-year trial that drew nationwide attention.
