A SPECIAL Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced twin brothers, Ojomo Taiwo and Ojomo Kehinde, to 14 years’ imprisonment each for armed robbery.
They were jailed alongside two others, Emmanuel Bamidele (also known as DPO) and Peter Samuel (also known as Mogaji).
Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe handed down the judgment following a plea-bargain agreement entered into by the defendants on an amended two-count charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery, contrary to Section 298(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Taiwo, a driver; Kehinde, a security guard; Bamidele, a technician; and Samuel, a cobbler, were initially arraigned in 2020 and pleaded not guilty, but later changed their plea to guilty after entering into a plea-bargain agreement filed on April 14, this year, which reduced their potential sentence from 21 years to 14 years’ imprisonment.
Justice Abike-Fadipe held that the defendants consented to the plea-bargain voluntarily, but the court was not bound by its terms.
The prosecution had earlier told the court that the incident occurred on June 5, 2020, about 11:30 p.m. at Oshodi Bridge in Lagos.
The defendants, under the pretence of being stranded, were alleged to have boarded a blue 2005 Toyota Sienna, with registration number LSR 771 GG, driven by Sadiq Abiodun Ezekiel.
Once inside the vehicle, they allegedly produced firearms, forced the driver into the back seat, assaulted him and dispossessed him of his belongings, including an Android phone, an iPhone, an ATM card and N15,000 cash, before driving off with the vehicle.
They later abandoned the victim at Charly Boy bus stop in Gbagada area before fleeing towards Oshodi. The stolen vehicle was recovered the same day at Ikeja Shopping Mall and returned to the victim.
While inspecting the recovered vehicle, the victim discovered a locally made double-barrel pistol loaded with four cartridges, which he handed over to the police.
During proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), J. A. Ogunode, urged the court to sentence the defendants in line with the plea- bargain.
In her judgment, Justice Abike-Fadipe sentenced the defendants to 14 years’ imprisonment each, starting from the date of their remand in custody.
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