By Idowu Adebomi, Ado Ekiti
Their was pandemonium and total chaos in Court 3 of the Ado Ekiti High Court of Justice as suspects already convicted for armed robbery and murder overpowered prison officials and attempted to snatch a gun from the judge's orderly sending the court room into chaos and confusion as court officials and onlookers run helter skelter.
The five suspects were brought to the court premises on monday were allegedly aggrieved that they were brought to the court for another offence after they have been convicted and handed the death sentence by two separate courts.
The prisoners showed signs of distress and appeared restless as they were being led into the court room by the prison officials and were venting invectives on the DPP even before their arraignment.
The suspects were intially tried in two separate courts murder and robbery attacks on business operators in the state capital and the two courts condemned them to death in the separate hearings.
A High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti on 30th April 2025 sentenced the five men to death by hanging for armed robbery.Delivering judgment, Justice O.O. Olatawura held that the five defendants were found guilty of conspiracy, murder, and armed robbery.
The offences were committed by the convicts on 18 August 2021, at Agogo Street, Ilupeju Avenue, Odo-Ado, Ado-Ekiti, where they robbed Ajiboye Olajide, Lateef Temidayo Busari, and Akeem Isiaka of their money, laptop computers, mobile phones, and other valuables.
During the course of the robbery, the convicts also murdered the local night guard, identified as Joseph Blessing.
The five men were subsequently arrested and charged with conspiracy, murder, and armed robbery, contrary to Section 516A of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012; Section 319 of the same law; and Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, prosecuted the case on behalf of Ekiti State, calling four witnesses and tendering 13 exhibits before the court to prove the charges.
Adeyinka Opaleke represented the defendants. Each of the accused persons gave evidence in their own defence but called no additional witnesses.
After thoroughly evaluating the evidence presented, the court ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges of armed robbery, murder, and conspiracy against all five defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Olatawura consequently convicted all the defendants and sentenced them to death by hanging for armed robbery and murder and to 21 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy
While preparing for the appearance, the suspects started making life threatening threats on the DPP Mr. Julius Akinbare.
" we will look for your house and kill you and your family, we are dead already why bringing us here again" they queried.
The presiding judge, Justice Ogunyemi sensing the tension quickly stood up to retire into the judges chamber and almost immediately one of the suspects who was earlier handcuffed suddenly lunged at the judge police orderly dragging his pistol and surprisingly his cuffs were already removed.
The scuffle led to chaos as court officials, lawyers and other people who had business in the court room ran for dear life.
The other suspects joined their colleaque in trying to disarm the orderly and overpowered the unarmed prison wardens in the court room.
Efforts by the Barristers to call on the armed units of the correctional centre outside the court proved abortive as the armed units closed the court room doors endangering the lives of the people in the court room.
It took the timely intervention of the men of the Rapid Response squad who finally came to subdue the convicts and ensure others were saved. Another drama took place in the court premises when the driver of the vehicle conveying the prisoners was no where to be found which made court officials to alledge conspiracy of the prison wardens.
The court premises became charged as business in the court was brought to an abrupt stop and normalcy finally returnd when the prisoners were finally removed from the court.
Barrister Awoniyi was amongst those who sustained minor injuries after he was punched by one of the suspects while the state of the orderly is yet unknown.The court has since closed down hearing for the day bringing a halt to court activities.
the court room by the prison officials and were venting invectives on the DPP even before their arraignment.
The suspects were intially tried in two separate courts murder and robbery attacks on business operators in the state capital and the two courts condemned them to death in the separate hearings.
A High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti had on 30th April 2025 sentenced the five men to death by hanging for armed robbery.Delivering judgment, Justice O.O. Olatawura held that the five defendants were found guilty of conspiracy, murder, and armed robbery.
The offences were committed by the convicts on 18 August 2021, at Agogo Street, Ilupeju Avenue, Odo-Ado, Ado-Ekiti, where they robbed Ajiboye Olajide, Lateef Temidayo Busari, and Akeem Isiaka of their money, laptop computers, mobile phones, and other valuables.
During the course of the robbery, the convicts also murdered the local night guard, identified as Joseph Blessing.The five men were subsequently arrested and charged with conspiracy, murder, and armed robbery, contrary to Section 516A of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012; Section 319 of the same law; and Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, prosecuted the case on behalf of Ekiti State, calling four witnesses and tendering 13 exhibits before the court to prove the charges.
Adeyinka Opaleke represented the defendants. Each of the accused persons gave evidence in their own defence but called no additional witnesses.
After thoroughly evaluating the evidence presented, the court ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges of armed robbery, murder, and conspiracy against all five defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Olatawura consequently convicted all the defendants and sentenced them to death by hanging for armed robbery and murder and to 21 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy
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