Remember them? Nuhu Jimoh, Ndubisi David and Aderibigbe Oluwasenu were among those who shook Ikirun, Osun state to its very ancient foundations on February 12, 2016. They were last week Thursday sentenced to death by hanging.
The three chaps were involved in the robbery carried out at commercial banks in Ikirun, Osun state on the said date.
Justice Jide Falola of Osun state High Court, Ikirun, submitted that the prosecution counsel proved his case against the convicts, beyond a reasonable doubt.
The judge ordered that the gun recovered from the convicts during the bank robbery be forfeited to the Nigeria Police, while the cash retrieved from them should be forfeited to Osun state Government.
The convicts were first arraigned on June 29, 2017 on 10- count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, murder, illegal possession of firearms and others.
The state Counsel, Mr. Biodun Badiora said the offences were contrary to Section 6(b), 1(1) & (2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11 L.F.N, 2004, Section 319 of the Criminal Code Law Cap. 34 Laws of Osun State, 2002, and Section 3 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11 L.F.N, 2004, respectively.
Badiora told the court that the convicts on February 12, 2016 at about 3:30 pm, in a coordinated bank robbery, attacked commercial banks situated along same street in Ikirun, simultaneously.
The prosecution counsel said during the robbery, combined team of policemen from Iragbiji Police Division, Ikirun Police Patrol Team and Special Anti-robbery Squad, responded to distress call and gun duel ensued between the armed robbers and the policemen at the scene.
Investigations according to him revealed that seven members of the armed gang were killed by police at the scene of the crime, while some others escaped with gun wounds.
Seven assorted ammunitions including AK-47 gun Israeli and Russian made and N7, 486,300.00 taken from the commercial banks were however recovered by the Police.
Badiora said five witnesses were called while 30 exhibits were tendered.
Defence counsels; Sunday Atofarati and Ajibade Omoyajowo, had earlier appealed to the Judge to temper justice with mercy
Demola Banu In EFCC Custody
The Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned former Kwara State Finance Commissioner, Alhaji Ademola Banu last week.
The former commissioner who was arraigned on Wednesday 29th January 2020 is facing charges bordering on money laundering.
Banu was dragged before Justice Babangana Ashigar of the Federal High Court, Ilorin alongside Travel Messenger Company Limited and one Olarewaju Adeniyi. They are facing nine count charges.
The EFCC alleged that the defendant conspired among themselves to launder the sum of about four hundred and eleven million naira belonging to the Kwara state Government.
‘That you, Olarewaju Adeniyi, Ademola Banu and Travel Messenger Limited between January and December 2018 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court conspired among yourselves to commit an offence, the conversion of the sum of #411,000,000.00 ( four hundred and eleven million naira) only, property of Kwara State Government, which sum you reasonably ought to know was derived from fraud, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(a) of the money laundering (prohibition) (amendment) act, 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same act’ EFCC stated in one of the charges.
The accused persons however made no guilty plea when the charges were read to them.
‘My Lord, following the not -guilty plea entered by the defendants, the prosecution shall be asking this honourable Court to give a trial date to enable us prove our case , we also want you to remand the defendants in Correctional Facility pending the hearing and the determination of this case’ counsel to the EFCC, Nnaemeka Omewa,
The Defence Counsel, Gboyega Oyewole and Bamidele Ibironke however asked Justice Ashigar to grant bail to their clients cognizant that the said offences are bailable.
Counsel to the EFCC while opposing the bail applications also filed a counter affidavit and urged the Judge not grant bail to the defendants.
Justice Ashigar later adjourned ruling on the bail application to 10th of February 2020 and ordered that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody
