Following their involvement in bank heists in Akure and Idanre in 2011, an Ondo State High Court in Akure has handed down death sentences to six individuals, including a pastor, Adewale Adelu, and five others – Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho.
The court found them guilty of robbing two commercial banks in Akure and Idanre on separate occasions in November and December 2011. They were apprehended by the state police command and subsequently brought to trial.
The prosecution presented evidence that the convicts, armed with AK 47 guns and other weapons, conspired to rob a branch of Diamond Bank Plc in Akure, making off with N30 million and various valuable items. Additionally, they were implicated in the robbery of First Bank Plc in Idanre, where they stole N4 million.
After thorough proceedings, Justice Yemi Fasanmi delivered the verdict, concluding that the prosecution had sufficiently proven the defendants’ guilt. The judge noted the unanimity of their confessions and their respective roles in the crimes.
Consequently, all defendants were sentenced to death by hanging on each count. This ruling comes after a separate sentencing in Akure, where Gbenga Akintola received a 21-year prison term for robbery offenses committed in Ondo town, as reported by the Amotekun command and the police in 2021.