Salesboys Convicted for Armed Robbery, to Die by Hanging

Akinwale Akintunde
Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja High Court thursday sentenced to death by hanging two young men, Charles Friday and Chidiebere Ani for allegedly robbing one Kingsley Udoka Obasi of about N5 million at Elobus Supermarket, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.

The duo, Ani a 20-year-old salesman and Friday, a 22-year old trader were arraigned by the Lagos State Government on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.
Justice Ipaye found the duo guilty for committing the crime which took place sometime in 2011 and sentenced them to death by hanging.

The state alleged that the defendants on September 9, 2011 conspired among themselves and robbed one Kingsley Obasi, a manager at Elobus Supermarket while he was conveying the supermarkets daily sales proceeds to a safe location.
The prosecution led by Mr. Akin George, during trial, told the court that while Friday who is also a staff of the supermarket provided the information about the movement of the money, Ani carried out the act by hitting the manager on the head with an iron rod.

The defendants were later arrested by the police and about N399,000 was recovered from them.
“Friday, a salesman who worked at Elobus Supermarket conspired with Ani a trader from Alaba Market to steal money from the supermarket.

“On the day of the robbery, based on the insider information given to Ani by Friday, Ani laid in wait underneath the stairs of the storey building housing the supermarket.

“The manager, Mr. Kingsley Obasi, between 9p.m. and 9.30p.m. uses the stairs to take money to the director’s office.
“When Obasi was heading to the director’s office, he was hit at the back of the head with a metal object by Ani who made away with N5million belonging to the supermarket as well as the manager’s phone,” he said.

The prosecutor also told the court that when the manager regained consciousness, he had no recollection of the robbery but the convicts were caught when Ani was overheard discussing the robbery.
According to George, the offences were in violation of Sections 295 (2)(a) and 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Although the duo denied committing the crime, Justice Ipaye insisted that the prosecution had proved the allegation of armed robbery beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Ipaye subsequent sentenced the duo to death by hanging.