By Oyero Abiodun Yakub
A Special Offences Court sitting in the capital city of Lagos, on Tuesday, sentenced a 32-year-old man, Chidozie Onyinchiz to death by hanging, for robbing a nurse of N57,000.
The court, which was presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada, sentenced Onyinchiz on a 3-count charge of armed robbery, conspiracy, and membership of an unlawful society.
According to Vanguard Newspapers, the convict alongside his accomplice, Ediri Endurance (yet to be caught), committed the offenses in August 2018 in the Akesan area of Lagos state.
Justice Dada was quoted to have said, “The defendant had stated that the complainant pointed at him as one of the boys armed with a pair of scissors and forcefully snatched her bag containing N57,000 at Akesan Bus Stop.
“The complainant had stated that neither the defendant nor his accomplice, Ediri Endurance, (still at large) wore masks which made it possible for her to easily recognize Onyinchiz a few hours after the robbery.
“Onyinchiz admitted to belonging to an unlawful society as he stated that: `this is my first time of coming to Akesan to steal. I was initiated into Eiye Confraternity in 2009 but I have not killed before.’
“The same information of him being a vulcanizer was also contained in the statement he made at Igando police station and the one he made at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad office at Ikeja.
“The statement corroborated the submission of the victim that she was accosted at about 4.30 a.m. by two boys holding an iron rod and a pair of scissors on the day of the incident.
“She said the two boys were the ones who robbed her.”
Justice Dada noted that the totality of the evidence before the court was compelling, and found the defendant guilty of the charges preferred against him.
“He is hereby sentenced to death by hanging and may God have mercy on his soul,’’ the judge concluded.
