By BARTHOLOMEW  MADUKWE

LAGOS – A Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, Lagos, yesterday, convicted a 22-year-old man, Igbekele Ayeni, for armed robbery, and sentenced him to 14 years imprisonment.

Ayeni was charged on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery, which is contrary to Section 402 (2) (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 17 Vol. 2, Laws of Lagos State, 2003.

The convict was said to have on June 9, 2008, at  the Oworonsoki area of Lagos, while armed with a gun, robbed one Olubukola Babatunde of his gold chain and ring valued at N100,000.
The court, in its judgment, noted that the convict had been remorseful during trial.

The court said: “Having listened to submission of the counsel to temper justice with mercy, I have seen that the accused has been remorseful. Therefore, he is sentenced to 14 years imprisonment instead of a death sentence by hanging as punishment for his offence.s”

Inspector Akindele Abidemi, in his testimony, said on June 9, 2008, he received a distress call that a robbery operation was going on at the  Oworonshoki area, Lagos, and when they arrived at the scene of the crime, the convict was found in a swamp behind Babatunde’s building.