LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Justice E.I. Oritsejafor of a Delta State high court sitting in Effurun has sentenced one Emmanuel Ruekpe and Peter Okoro to death by hanging after finding them guilty of stealing a motorbike.
Oritsejafor sentenced the two criminals to death on two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.
In his judgement, Justice Oritsejafor ruled that the prosecution presented an overwhelming evidence enough to discharge the burden of proof on the case.
During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Ezeana Ejiofor told the court that the offence was committed on 24 September, 2016.
Ejiofor, a Deputy Director in the state Ministry of Justice, revealed that the convicts stole a motorbike from one Mr.Ode Odera Gabriel, a commercial motorbike rider.
He added that the convicts boarded the plaintiff motorbike on the said day, at Otu-Jeremi Junction to Owhawa Town for N400.
In the course of the journey, the 2nd defendant (Peter Okoro), reportedly alighted from a compound at Oghoir in Udu Local Government Area, where he claimed to have gone to discuss an issue with his elder brother.
“The convict stopped the motorbike rider, claiming that his face cap fell and wanted to pick it up, but, he suddenly broke a Coca Cola bottle and in a bid to avoid being stabbed, the complainant ran away,” he said.
According to the Prosecutor, the complainant (motorbike rider), however, recognized the first defendant, whom he said he knew as a local dancer.
The matter was brought before the Oghoir Vigilante Chairman, leading to the arrest of the convict by the Ovwian Police Station.
Reacting to the judgment, the prosecuting counsel, expressed satisfaction with the judgment.