Two men, Ahmed Musa and Oluwole Sunday, were sentenced to 14 years in prison for robbery by Justice Yetunde Adesanya of a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square on Wednesday.
The defendants were found guilty and sentenced after entering into a plea bargain deal.
Musa and Sunday were first arraigned in court on a six-count allegation of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery on Feb. 15, 2018.
They were remanded after pleading not guilty.
On May 30, 2018, their trial began. They later reached an arrangement with the prosecution to plead guilty.
Adesanya held that the punishment was in accordance with Section 76 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law of 2011.
“The court has ascertained from the defendants that they entered into the plea bargain agreement on their own free volition, free from any coercion.
“I have observed that the prosecution and the defence agreed on the 14-year term,” she said.
The judge, however, held that the court was not bound by the terms of the agreement, but had the power to increase or reduce the sentence term.
“The defendants pleaded guilty to a further amended charge of robbery punishable under Section 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“The defendants are fully competent to answer to their plea, they understand the charge and that the court was not bound to the plea bargain.
“Ahmed Musa, Oluwole Sunday, in view of your plea, I hereby convict you as charged.
“You are both sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment each, starting from Oct. 14, 2016,” the judge held.
Mrs. A.O. Oluwafemi, the Lagos State Attorney, had earlier informed the court that the defendants had requested for a plea bargain deal.
As a result, they were re-arrested and pleaded guilty.
Mr. B. C. Mebanu, their lawyer, was present in court.
The offenses were committed on July 23, 2016, according to the prosecution counsel.
She claimed they took an 18-carat gold Rolex wristwatch and an iPhone from Mr. A. Samuel.
The robbery took place at Conoil Filling Station at Dopemu Bridge, Lagos State, according to her.
The offenses, she claims, are in violation of Section 297 (1) of the Lagos Criminal Law of 2015.