A 32-year-old vulcanizer named Chidozie Onyinchiz was sentenced to death by hanging on Tuesday at the Lagos State Special Offenses Court in Ikeja under the supervision of Justice Mojisola Dada for defrauding a nurse of N57,000.
After the prosecution established beyond a reasonable doubt each element of the three-count accusation of armed robbery, membership in an illegal organisation, and conspiracy against the victim, Justice Dada rendered the decision.
She said that the defendant’s attempts to get out of the accusations were ineffective since, as he had previously admitted to the police in Igando, Lagos, his victim, Veronica Uwayzor, had seen him and recognised him there.
The defendant had observed that the complainant had identified him as a part of the group that had grabbed her bag carrying N57,000 at the Akesan bus stop while brandishing a pair of scissors.
It was simple for the complainant to identify Onyinchiz a few hours after the crime since neither the defendant nor his accomplice, Ediri Endurance (who is still at large), were wearing masks, according to the complaint.
The defendant admitted during his initial interview at the Igando Police Station that he is a vulcaniser and that he and Ediri were at the aforementioned bus stop on the day of the heist.
Onyinchiz also admitted to belonging to an unlawful society. He said, “In 2009, I was initiated into Eiye Confraternity, but I have not killed before. This is my first time coming to Akesan to steal.”
