Ekiti Court Sentences Armed Robber to Death for Attacking BOUESTI Students

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 37-year-old man, Ayeni Tunde Kazeem, to death by hanging after convicting him of armed robbery.

Justice Lekan Olatawura delivered the judgment after finding Kazeem guilty on a five-count charge bordering on armed robbery involving five students of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere-Ekiti.

The court heard that the incident occurred on October 2, 2024, when the convict, armed with a double-barrel pistol, accosted the students and robbed them of their mobile phones valued at ₦680,000 before fleeing the scene.

During the trial, the prosecution presented seven witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including the defendant’s confessional statements, a lemon-green hoodie allegedly linked to the crime, ATM cards recovered during the investigation and a search warrant.

Although the defendant pleaded for leniency through his counsel, he did not call any witness or present evidence in his defence.

In his judgment, Justice Olatawura held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the evidence presented clearly linked the defendant to the offence.

The judge further observed that the convict showed no remorse throughout the proceedings.

Consequently, the court sentenced Ayeni Tunde Kazeem to death by hanging for the offence of armed robbery.