Makurdi High Court has sentenced one Jacob Atongo, a 100-level sociology student of Benue State University (BSU) to death by hanging for armed robbery. Atongo was said to have conspired with two others to rob one Stephen Akuma, and several others at gun point on June 26, 2012.

The accused and his accomplices robbed Akuma of his Toyota Camry car with registration number Benue AID 39 AA and other victims of valuables, including various sums of money.

The convict was said to have also attacked judges’ quarters in Makurdi on July 3, 2012 and robbed no fewer than 15 people, dispossessing them of various items and money at gun point.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice Adam Onum, held that he was satisfied with the confession of the accused to the charges and therefore, found him guilty.

Onum sentenced the accused to death by hanging, saying the sentence prescribed under the law for the offence must be followed. He said the offences contravened the Robbery and Firearms Laws.

During the proceedings, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and testified for himself along with one witness called by his counsel.

Prosecution held that the convict confessed to the commission of the offences but counsel to the accused, Mr E. Z. Agbakor, argued that the prosecution failed to prove the case against his client beyond reasonable doubt.

Agbakor told the court that the accused did not make the statement tendered in court voluntarily, insisting his client was tortured and forced to confess to the offences.



http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/court-sentences-student-death-hanging/