By AFUSAT AGUNBIADE-OLADIPO

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin on Friday affirmed the death sentences imposed on five men convicted over the 2018 Offa bank robbery.

The court dismissed the appeal of the convicts for lack of merit.

The appellate panel, comprising Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, Justice Gabriel Kolawole and Justice Abdul Dogo, upheld the judgment of Justice Haleemah Saleeman of the Kwara High Court which sentenced the appellants to death by hanging.

The convicts are Niyi Ogundiran, Salawu Azeez, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Ayoade Akinnibosun and Adeola Abraham.

In its ruling, the court rejected all the grounds of appeal filed by the appellants and ordered their immediate return to prison custody.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the convictions arose from the coordinated bank robbery carried out in April 2018 in Offa, headquarters of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara, during which five commercial banks were attacked.

No fewer than 32 persons, including nine police officers, were killed during the attacks.

NAN reports that the convicts were found guilty of armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and culpable homicide.

A sixth suspect, who was a retired police officer, Michael Adikwu, died in custody before the commencement of the trial.

Justice Saleeman had earlier sentenced the five convicts to death by hanging after a trial that lasted about six years and attracted nationwide attention.

The lead prosecution counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), described the appellate court’s decision as thorough and well considered, inspite of the prolonged delays that characterised the trial.

Mr Abdullah Jimba, counsel to one of the convicts, said preparations were underway to pursue a final appeal at the Supreme Court. (NAN)