Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde of an Ado Ekiti High court has sentenced a 24-year-old man, Sola Jegede, to death for stealing phones and cash, Punch reports.

According to the charge, the defendant was charged with offences of armed robbery and rape, which was committed on 30th October, 2015 at Oda Ponna Street, Omuo Ekiti.

According to the prosecutors, the defendant, armed with offensive weapons such as gun, knife, digger and club robbed Ilesanmi Ibukun, Ilesanmi Seun and Ilesanmi Tope of their phones and undisclosed amount sum of money contrary to sections 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. R11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 358 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde said, “The defendant is found guilty as charged on counts one, two and three for the offence of armed robbery.

“He is accordingly convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for the offence of armed robbery and may the Lord have mercy on his soul.”

Abodunde, however, discharged and acquitted Jegede on counts four and five, saying, “No reasonable court can convict him of the offence of rape given the totality of the evidence of the prosecution with respect to the offence of rape.

“He is found not guilty and discharged and acquitted on the offence of rape.”