Sylvester Idowu in WarriA 38-year-old farmer, Francis Williams, has been sentenced to death by hanging by a Delta State High Court sitting at Ozoro for robbing his victims of N170 and a Nokia handset valued at N5,000.

The court presided over by Justice A.O. Akpovi sentenced the farmer having found him guilty of the charge of armed robbery punishable under section (1(2)(a) of the robbery and firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap RII Volume 14 Laws of the Federation , 2004.

Justice Akpovi also found the accused guilty on the charge of wounding his victims with intent which got him a life sentence and illegal possession of firearms with a sentence of 10 years imprisonment respectively.

An Assistant Director in the Ministry of Justice T.R. Anuhwin, through prosecution witnesses had told the court that on June 4, 2014 at a Palm Kernel Farm located at Ewu in Ughelli South Local Government, the accused robbed one Hon. Noah Ovie and his assistant of a Nokia handset valued at N5,000 and a cash sum of N170 while armed with a cut to size locally made gun.

Prosecution witnesses further told the court that nemesis however caught up with the armed robber, who was on a solo mission, when he was in the process of trying to rob them of other valuables as the two victims summoned courage and overpowered their assailant.

The court was also told that in his desperation to escape after being apprehended, he bit off one of the fingers of the former Councillor, Hon. Noah Ovie, but his escape bid was foiled by passerby who rushed to the scene and held him down and later handed him over to the police.

The accused, who made a voluntary confessional statement to the police, admitted to have committed the offence but retracted same during trial, called no witness but testified for himself while the prosecution called four witnesses in proof of its case.

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