3 Armed Robbers To Die By Hanging For Robbing N150,925

An Abakaliki High Court,  Ebonyi State, yesterday, sentenced three persons to death by hanging for armed robbery and illegal possession of arms. The condemned criminals were Chukwuma Idenyi, Nwobodo Omebe and Monday Ekwe from Izzi and Abakaliki Local Government Areas of the state.

They were accused of robbing one Clement Nwizzi, the treasurer of Item Nkaliki Community in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the sum of N150,925 the community contributed for its developmental projects.

The matter which has sufferded several adjournments was yesterday decided by the High Court judge after written addresses of the witnesses were adopted and cross-examinations by the counsel where the defense counsel Mr. V. I. Njoku prayed the court to discountenance the case.

He argued that the prosecuting counsel and the complainant failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that there were contradictions on the exact amount by the complainant and the prosecutor when the matter was first reported to the police.

While counsel to the complainant and prosecutor, Mr. R.  O. Ude argued that his client was robbed and dispossessed of the sum of N108, 925 contributed by his community for school project, averring that the case had been proved beyond all reasonable doubt.

He argued further that the accused persons, if not properly punished, would not only rob other people and communities of their belongings but would constitute a threat to the peace and security of the people of the state.

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Paul Elechi, said the prosecutor proved his case beyond reasonable doubt and therefore sentenced the accused persons to death by