An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced two men — a serving police officer, David Friday, and an impostor soldier, Innocent Victor — to death by hanging for a string of violent armed robberies in Idanre.
The convicts faced a four-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, and impersonation of security personnel.
The offences contravened Section 6 (b) and Section 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as well as Section 109 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
During the trial, three victims narrated chilling encounters with the duo.
One of them, Akinmodun Akinleye, said that on January 15, 2021, at about 1 a.m., while returning from his farm at Ibepo, Idanre, he was stopped at Ojalade Junction by the men — one in a police T-shirt and the other in military camouflage.
Armed with jack knives, they searched his vehicle, stole ₦6,000, ordered him to fuel their motorcycle with 30 litres of petrol, and later made away with his ₦8,500 Itel phone.
Another witness, security guard Olowogbadegun Lanre, recalled seeing the men that same night at Yaba Junction.
They attempted to disarm him and later stopped an 18-seater bus, assaulting the driver and stealing ₦5,000.
The robbers even offered him ₦2,000 as hush money, which he refused. Hours later, he accompanied the driver to the police station, where the driver identified one of the attackers.
A third witness, transporter Adeyeye Sesan, testified that the men assaulted him with a pistol, sticks, and a dagger after he refused to hand over ₦10,000.
They eventually robbed him of ₦125,000 — his daily proceeds — and injured his leg, threatening to kill him.
Police prosecutor Inspector Ilesanmi Samuel told the court that David Friday was a serving officer attached to Olofin Police Station in Idanre, while Victor’s claim of being a soldier was debunked by authorities at Owena Cantonment in Akure. Both men confessed to the crimes during interrogation.
Delivering judgment, Justice W.R. Olamide ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and ordered the convicts to be hanged until they are dead.
