When 2 got sentenced to death for stealing fowls in Osun, Car Snatching Kingpin got killed in Enugu

Justice Jide Falola of an Osun State High Court sitting in Okuku has sentenced two robbers to death for stealing fowls.

The convicts, Olowookere Segun and Morakinyo Sunday, were found guilty of forcefully breaking into the house of one Mr. Balogun Tope, a police officer attached to Divisional Police headquarters, Okuku, in April 2010 and carting away some of his belongings.

The convicts were charged with conspiracy, robbery and stealing contrary to Section 6(b) and 1(2)(a) of Robbery and Firearm (Special Provisions) Act, cap R 11 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section (390)(1) Criminal Code Law, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

The prosecution team, led by the state Solicitor-General, Mrs Abiola Adewemimo, called six witnesses and tendered several exhibits during the prosecution.

The prosecution told the court that on November 13, 2010, men were sighted around Balogun’s home armed with cutlass and a dane gun, and that while two of them were arrested, others escaped.

The convicts were said to have confessed that they stole the complainant’s fowls, adding that they had been in his house before to steal.

Adewemimo said: “They also stated that they had earlier robbed Alhaja Umani Oyewo in her house and stole broilers, eggs and kegs of vegetable oil from the house.”

In his judgment, Justice Falola convicted them on only three counts: to death for conspiracy; life sentence for robbery, and three years imprisonment for stealing.

Justice Falola recommended that the governor can decide to commute the death sentence to 10 years imprisonment, considering the convicts’ ages.

Car snatching kingpin killed in Enugu

In Enugu, the operatives of the Awkunanaw Division of Enugu State Police Command have smashed a notorious armed robbery and car snatching syndicate, which had allegedly been terrorizing motorists and residents of Enugu metropolis and its environs.

The gang’s kingpin, identified as one Onovo, had been on the wanted list of the command for heinous crimes perpetrated by his men in recent times.

According to Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, “the gang leader met his waterloo on December 16 at 8p.m., when the suspect in the company of his other gang members, having snatched an ash-coloured Passat car around Mount Street, off Agbani Road, Enugu, confronted the operatives who were already on their trail.

“On sighting the operatives, the gang opened fire on their vehicle and in the ensuing gun battle, one of them was gunned down while other members of the gang, believed to have sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries, escaped and abandoned the snatched car.

“The deceased kingpin, Onovo, had been terrorizing the lives of innocent citizens of Achara Layout of Uwani, One Day axis of Awkunanaw and Ikirike axis of the state and its environs.

“Recovered from the gang were two English cut-to-size pump action guns, a locally-made double-barrelled pistol and some phones.

“Meanwhile, full scale investigations have commenced with a view to arresting his gang members, just as the command is appealing to members of the public and hospital operators for useful and timely information on any one with suspected bullet wounds for necessary action.”