Five suspects involved in the April 2018 Offa robbery have been sentenced to death by Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court.
Justice Salman who on Thursday delivered the ruling that the convicts were guilty of illegal possession of firearms, armed robbery, and culpable homicide, said the offences are punishable by death.
Those convicted are Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salahudeen Azeez, and Niyi Ogundiran. While there were six, one of the suspects Michael Adikwu died in detention.
According to the judge, all evidence submitted by the prosecuting team found them guilty.
On the possession of firearms, the verdict pronounced judgement of three years in prison.
The prosecutor said various reasons ranging from the COVID-19 period and national assignment given to the judge prolonged the process and thanked the court for the judgement.
The representative of the defence counsel, however, said the judgement would be appealed soon.
The courthad in July reserved judgement in the case.
The conviction of the suspects was coming six years after some robbers invaded Offa in Kwara State, robbed at least five commercial banks, killed over 30 persons including policemen.
The robbers reportedly hauled an undisclosed amount of cash from the banks. The heist took the nation by storm and made headlines for months.
Following the robbery, a former governor of Kwara State Abdulfatah Ahmed placed a N5 million ransom on the suspects.
