Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, on Monday sentenced a man, Akeem Lawal, to death by hanging for attacking his 90-year-old mother, Taibat, with a machete.
Delivering judgment, Justice Ipaye also found the defendant guilty of attacking his step sister, Sherifat Olanipekun with a matchet and a gun.
Lawal was arraigned on May 3, 2016, on two counts amended charge of conspiracy to robbery and armed robbery, preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.
Justice Ipaye in his judgment said, “I find you guilty on both counts.
“You shall be hanged by the neck until you die.
“May the Lord have mercy on your soul”.
While reading her judgment, the judge held that the prosecution was able to prove that the alleged robbery and armed robbery actually happened.
He added that the convict was one of the armed robbers who attacked the victims.
The judge said she had no reason to doubt the testimonies of the victims because they were eyewitnesses to the incident and had a close opportunity to see the robbers.
After the verdict, the convict’s counsel, Mrs E. B. Obiogwu, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that the convict had a son who depended on him.
She also added that the convict “if given another chance, won’t toe the line of crime again”.
Earlier, the Prosecution led by Mr Akin George, said the incident occurred on Nov. 30, 2013, at 2.00am, at No.12, Lawal St., Akowonjo in Egbeda area of Lagos State.
He said that the offence contravened Section 297, 295 (2) (a), of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2011.
George said that Lawal, along two others who were masked, broke down the front door of his stepsister’s room with an axe and robbed her.
He said that the defendant also shot the stepsister in the back, cut her head and her aged mother with a matchet and left them to die.
(NAN)
Nigeria Horn
