Ekiti Court Hands Life Sentence to Man Convicted of Armed Robbery
Story: written by Daniel October 23,2025
The Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Alex Peter, to life imprisonment for armed robbery, along with an additional nine-year jail term for conspiracy.
Peter was arraigned on December 29, 2022, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.
According to the prosecution, the convict and his accomplices, still at large, robbed Augustine Steven on May 16, 2022, at Ado-Ekiti, stealing a red Bajaj motorcycle (registration number AMK 569 UJ) and ₦15,000 while armed with a cutlass and an axe — offences contrary to Sections 314 and 312 of the Ekiti State Criminal Law, 2021.
During the trial, the victim, a commercial motorcyclist, testified that the robbery occurred around 8:45 p.m. along NTA Road, Ado-Ekiti.
He said: “The defendant hired me to take him to Judges Quarters. When we got there, he alighted, and suddenly, another man came out from the bush with a cutlass while the passenger drew an axe. They took my money and motorcycle. The area was well-lit, so I recognised the defendant.”
The victim later reported the incident to the New Iyin Road Police Station and, three days later, spotted and helped apprehend the defendant at a restaurant. Police later recovered the stolen motorcycle from his residence.
Prosecution counsel O.S. Akinwumi presented four witnesses and submitted several exhibits, including the defendant’s confessional statement and the motorcycle’s documents.
Although the defendant, represented by Stanley Okonkwo, denied the allegations, he did not call any witnesses in his defence.
In his judgment, Justice Adekunle Adeleye held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the defendant’s confession matched the victim’s testimony.
“It is clearly established that the defendant participated in the robbery. I therefore find him guilty as charged,” Justice Adeleye ruled.
He then sentenced Alex Peter to nine years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for armed robbery.
