Court Sentences Nigerian Pastor, 5 Others over Bank Robberies in Ondo

In a significant judgment by the Ondo State High Court in Akure, six individuals have been sentenced to death for their roles in a series of bank robberies in 2011.

A member of the group, Pastor Adewale Adelu, was convicted for attacks on two commercial banks in Akure and Idanre, leading to a combined theft of over N34 million alongside various valuable items.

The arrests, facilitated by the state’s police force, led to a trial where the accused faced charges including conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms.
The prosecution, led by F.K Salami, presented evidence that the group, armed with heavy weaponry and explosives, executed the robberies with precision, resulting in significant financial losses for the banks involved.

Throughout the trial, both sides presented arguments and witnesses, but it was the coherent confessions of the defendants and their detailed descriptions of their roles in the crime that solidified their conviction.

The court, led by Justice Yemi Fasanmi, found the evidence against them irrefutable, resulting in a unanimous decision to sentence each member of the group to death by hanging.