By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Three persons—Agada Solomon, Taiwo Adeniyi, and Bibisoye Kehinde—were sentenced to death by hanging on Tuesday for the murder of Colonel Anthony Okeyin, commandant of the Nigeria Army Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan.
The sentencing took place at the Oyo State High Court, presided over by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi.
The convicts also received 14-year prison terms for conspiracy and armed robbery.
The court case, which dates back to 2016, originally involved six defendants on charges of conspiracy, murder, and armed robbery, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
However, the other three defendants—Ewere Andrew, Udobata Oruza-Uzie, and Ephraim Obi—were discharged and acquitted.
Justice Ajayi stated, “The first, second and third defendants gave confessional statements while the phone of the deceased commandant was found with the first defendant and are therefore convicted accordingly.”
He added that while Obi’s car was used to commit the crime, no evidence linked him to armed robbery, leading to his acquittal alongside Andrew and Oruza-Uzie.
The prosecution, led by Mrs. K.K. Oloso, had argued that the convicted individuals committed the crimes on December 12, 2016, at 6:15 a.m. at the Commandant’s Quarters of Nigeria Army Secondary School.
“They allegedly caused the death of Okeyin, age 52, by breaking his skull while armed with an offensive weapon and robbed him of his Samsung X4 phone and N45,000 cash,” said Oloso.
The offences were found to be in violation of Sections 316, 319, and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000, and Sections 1(2)(a), 1(2)(b), and 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Counsel for the convicts, Mr. F.O. Awonusi, had earlier pleaded for leniency.