An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Alex Peter, to life imprisonment for armed robbery and an additional nine years for conspiracy.

Peter was first arraigned on December 29, 2022, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

According to the charge sheet, the convict and others still at large, on May 16, 2022, at Ado-Ekiti, conspired to rob one Augustine Steven, carting away his red Bajaj motorcycle with registration number AMK 569 UJ and N15,000 cash, while armed with dangerous weapons, including a cutlass and an axe, offences contrary to Sections 314 and 312 of the Ekiti State Criminal Law, 2021.

During the trial, the victim, a commercial motorcyclist, recounted how the robbery occurred around 8:45 p.m. along NTA Road, Ado-Ekiti.

He told the court: “The defendant stopped me to take him to Judges Quarters. On getting there, he alighted from the motorcycle. I was expecting him to pay, but suddenly, someone emerged from the bush with a cutlass, while the passenger himself wielded an axe.

“They took my N15,000 and the motorcycle. I recognised the defendant’s face clearly because the road was lit. I later reported the incident at the New Iyin Road Police Station.”

He added that three days later, he spotted the defendant at a restaurant and apprehended him with the help of bystanders, before alerting the police. A search of the defendant’s residence later led to the recovery of the stolen motorcycle.

Prosecution counsel O.S. Akinwumi called four witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including the defendant’s confessional statement and the recovered motorcycle’s particulars.

The defendant, who was represented by counsel Stanley Okonkwo, denied the allegations but called no witnesses in his defence.

Delivering judgment, Justice Adekunle Adeleye held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the defendant’s own confession corroborated the victim’s testimony.

“It is in evidence that the defendant confessed to being one of the armed robbers. I find the defendant guilty as charged,” Justice Adeleye ruled.

Consequently, the court sentenced Alex Peter to nine years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for armed robbery.