An Ondo State High Court Sitting In Akure Has Sentenced A Serving Police Officer, David Friday, And A Fake Soldier, Innocent Victor, To Death By Hanging For Their Roles In A Series Of Armed Robberies.
The Court Delivered The Verdict After Finding The Duo Guilty On Multiple Counts, Including Conspiracy, Armed Robbery, And Impersonation Of Military Personnel.
The Offences Were Committed On January 15, 2021, In Idanre, Ondo State. According To Prosecution Witnesses, The Convicts Were Armed With Jack Knives And Used A TVS Motorcycle To Intercept And Rob Passers-By At Night.
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One Of The Victims, Akinmodun Akinleye, A Farmer Returning From His Farmland Along Ibepo Road, Testified That The Defendants, Dressed In Police And Military Uniforms, Stopped His Vehicle, Collected ₦6,000, And Demanded 30 Litres Of Petrol For Their Motorcycle. He Later Discovered That His Itel Mobile Phone, Valued At ₦8,500, Was Missing.
Another Witness, Olowogbadegun Lanre, A Security Guard On Night Duty At Yaba Junction, Recounted How The Pair Attempted To Seize His Firearm, Assaulted The Driver Of An 18-Seater Bus, And Stole ₦5,000.
“Around 4 A.M., The Driver Returned And Asked If I Knew The Two Men, And I Confirmed That I Did. Together, We Went To The Police Station To Report,” Lanre Stated In Court.
A Third Prosecution Witness, Transporter Adeyeye Sesan, Told The Court That He Was Robbed Of ₦125,000 And Sustained Injuries After Resisting The Robbers’ Demands. He Said One Of Them Wore Military Camouflage, While The Other Wore A Police T-Shirt, And Both Used Physical Assault And A Pistol During The Attack.
During The Trial, Police Prosecutor Inspector Ilesanmi Samuel Confirmed That David Friday Was Attached To Olofin Police Station In Idanre. He Added That Verification From The Owena Cantonment In Akure Revealed That Innocent Victor Had Never Served In The Military, Despite Claiming Otherwise. Both Men Confessed To The Crimes During Police Investigations.
In His Judgment, Justice W.R. Olamide Ruled That The Prosecution Had Proven Its Case Beyond Reasonable Doubt. “The Court Finds The Defendants Guilty As Charged And Sentences Them To Death By Hanging,” The Judge Declared.
