Man Sentenced to Death for Robbing Students in Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced 37-year-old Kazeem Ayeni to death by hanging for armed robbery.

Ayeni, armed with a pistol, robbed five students from Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology in Ikere Ekiti on October 2, 2024.

Justice Lekan Olatawura found Ayeni guilty and gave him the death sentence on Monday.

Olatawura said, "I am unable to exercise any discretion in favour of a defendant who showed no remorse throughout his trial. The punishment for armed robbery is one of strict application.

"Consequent thereupon on the foregoing, I find the defendant guilty of all the charges. Accordingly, the sentence of this court upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy on your soul," the judge said.

The court heard that Ayeni robbed the students of their phones, which included an Infinix Smart 7, Itel A04, Infinix Smart 6, Samsung Galaxy S6, and Tecno Pop 8. The total value of the phones was N680,000 at the time of the robbery.

The charge stated, "The offence is contrary to Section 312(2)(a) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021."

One of the victims, Moyinoluwa Adewale, testified in court. She said she and her roommates were in their room around 9:10 PM when the robbery took place.

She said, "We heard a knock on the door, and one of us went to open it. Immediately, one man, who wore a lemon-coloured dress and short blue jeans, entered. He held a double-barrelled pistol. He commanded us to start submitting our phones.

"We initially thought it was a joke. He dipped his hand in his pocket and brought out some cartridges. He started fixing them into the gun and later pointed it at us. We submitted all our phones, and he packed everything. He told us to lock our door from the back and that we should not shout. We started shouting when he left," she said.

The prosecutor, Salem Bade-Gboyega, called seven witnesses and presented the defendant’s confessional statements, a lemon-green hoodie cardigan, ATM cards, and a search warrant as evidence.

Ayeni defended himself through his lawyer, Amir Salami. He did not call any witnesses but asked the court to show him mercy.