By Daniel Edu
A self-proclaimed pastor, Adewale Adelu, and five accomplices have been handed the death penalty by hanging by the Ondo State High Court in Akure. The convictions stem from their involvement in bank robberies in Akure and Idanre in 2011. The other five convicts, identified as Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho, were found guilty of armed robberies that occurred on November 19 and December 8, 2011, in Akure and Idanre.
Armed with AK 47 guns, dynamite, and other weapons during the attacks, they managed to steal a total of N30 million, along with mobile phones and valuable items. Another robbery on December 8, 2011, at First Bank Plc in Idanre resulted in the theft of N4 million.
The charges included conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms, contravening Sections 6b, 12a, and b of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act. The prosecution successfully argued that the defendants confessed to their roles in the robberies.
In a recent ruling, Justice Yemi Fasanmi declared that all the defendants would be sentenced to death by hanging for each charge. This follows the earlier sentencing of Gbenga Akintola to 21 years imprisonment in Akure for armed robbery, where he used dangerous weapons to steal from three individuals. Akintola was apprehended by the Amotekun unit and the police in Ondo town in 2021.
