Man bags 15yrs for attempted robbery

A Lagos State High Court in Igbosere yesterday sentenced a 36-year-old man to 15 years jail without an option of fine for attempted robbery. Demola Ajibade was found guilty and convicted for attempting to rob a customer care executive, Charles Akpati, with a toy gun on February 7, 2014, to which he pleaded not guilty.  […]

A Lagos State High Court in Igbosere yesterday sentenced a 36-year-old man to 15 years jail without an option of fine for attempted robbery.

Demola Ajibade was found guilty and convicted for attempting to rob a customer care executive, Charles Akpati, with a toy gun on February 7, 2014, to which he pleaded not guilty. 

During the trial, Akpati testified that Ajibade stopped him on the road near a bus garage at Ikorodu and claimed that they were former neighbours at Festac Town.

Akpati said, “Not long after that, he said someone did not like me, especially at my office and that he had been mandated to kill me. He lifted his shirt a little. There was a gun there. He said he would kill me and that was what he did for a living. He said eyes were on me and I could not escape because his gang members were in hiding, watching us, but that he had decided not to kill me.”

The witness said Ajibade demanded for N300,000 to spare his life, but he negotiated for N100,000. Ajibade accepted and followed him to a nearby bank so he could withdraw the money.

Akpati said, “He followed me to the bank and on getting to the security door, he said he would not enter with me because of the gun and warned me not to misbehave when I get inside.”

He said he informed the bank’s security officials, who, along with a mobile policeman, Corporal A. Richard, from another bank nearby, pursued and arrested Ajibade. Richard also testified during the trial that the gun was a toy.

According to the prosecution, police investigation showed that Ajibade specialised in internet scams and had been fraudulently obtaining money from victims in Italy.

Ajibade who denied the allegation, claimed that Akpati owed him money and refused to pay and decided to set him up for an unlawful arrest by the police.

However, the trial judge, Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya, held that Akpati’s testimony, as well as that of the other witnesses, including the exhibits tendered were credible.

The judge added: “The victim positively identified the defendant as the person who tried to rob him. The court is satisfied that the defendant is as guilty as charged.”