By Sunmola Olowookere
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An Akure High Court sitting in Olokuta, has sentenced two men, Tobechukwu Agulonu and Uche Igwe, to death by hanging,  for their involvement in armed robbery.

The trial judge, Justice Yemi Fasanmi, pronounced the death sentence after finding the duo guilty of the two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery brought against them.

In his judgement, Justice Fasanmi held that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt

 Agulonu and Igwe were dragged before the court through an information filed by the prosecution led by one Barrister Wale Bamisile.

During the trial, the prosecution called four witnesses and tendered 10 exhibits.

The first prosecution witness, Mrs Lorieta Okolie, testified that on July 4, 2013, the accused with others at large invaded her residence along Olufoam, Akure, while armed with guns and other offensive weapons and took away her husband”s Nissan Jeep, with number plate BDG 159 AE.

According to her, “That night, it was my house boy that alerted us that armed robbers were cutting the burglary proof of our house.

” On gaining entrance, the bandits attacked my husband with iron bar, which made him to bleed. They also collected N51,000, two handsets and his vehicle keys and drove  it away.

Also, Mr Augustine Okolie, who was the second prosecution witness, corroborated his wife’s testimony and said the robbers fired a shot into his house.

He said they instructed him to open the gate and lock it from within before they left with the car.

The defence also opened its case, in which Aguluno and Igwe testified.

Based on the evidence before the court, the judge, who noted that  the couple were witnesses of truth, held that there was indeed, an armed robbery attack on them.

He said  the two police officers who also testified for the prosecution,  confirmed retrieving two live expended cartridges from the house of the victims.

The court, however, discountenanced the separate  testimonies of the accused, in which they denied making the confessional statements.

The judge held, “Despite their denial, the stolen vehicle discovered in their possession in Anambra state at the point of arrest, was a proof of their involvement in the crime.

He found them guilty as charged, convicted and sentenced them accordingly.