(High Court. Photo Credit: Daily Nigerian)
An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Ikot Ekpene has sentenced a tricycle ticket seller, Iboro Sunday Akpan, to d£ath by hanging for @rm£d r0bbery.
Akpan was also given a life sentence for attempted m*rd3r.
Delivering judgment in Charge No. HT/25C/2025, Justice Augustine D. Odokwo ruled that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted the defendant on all three counts.
The court subsequently imposed sentences of 14 years imprisonment for conspiracy, life imprisonment for attempted m*rd3r and d£ath by hanging for @rm£d r0bbery, with the custodial sentences subsumed by the capital punishment.
Akpan, a native of Ikot Idaha in Ikono Local Government Area, was prosecuted by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice for an @rm£d r0bbery att@ck that occurred in the early hours of July 23, 2025, at Annex B Estate, Ikot Otor in Ikot Ekpene.
During the trial, the prosecution’s principal witness, Barr. Camillus Ben, testified that he was awakened at around 1:23 am by a loud bang at the estate gate and confronted an unmasked intruder whom he identified as Akpan, a ticket seller he had known for years on Umuahia Road in Ikot Ekpene.
According to the witness, he recognised the convict from a distance of about four feet before fleeing the scene.
He later sustained gunshot injuries to his ribs and hand when armed robbers opened fire as police officers responded to a distress call.
The prosecution also presented evidence from a police officer attached to the Divisional Crack Team, who testified that officers recovered firearms and expended cartridges at the scene following an exchange of gunfire with the robbers.
One suspect was k!ll£d during the operation, while another escaped with gunshot wounds but was later tracked to Imo State.
The victim’s wife, who was over eight months pregnant at the time of the att@ck, told the court that armed robbers invaded their residence, stole cash and jewellery valued at N630,000 and attempted to force her to transfer money through a Point-of-Sale machine.
In his defence, Akpan denied involvement in the r0bbery, describing himself as a farmer and ticket seller and claiming he was not at the scene.
However, Justice Odokwo rejected the defence, holding that the evidence amounted to a case of recognition rather than mistaken identity, noting that the victim had known the defendant prior to the incident.
The judge further dismissed the defendant’s alibi, holding that it lacked specific details capable of verification and was contradicted by evidence from the defence witness.
The judge noted that the prosecution had built a watertight and unshakeable case against the defendant.
Justice Odokwo also held that under the doctrine of common intention, Akpan was criminally liable for the shooting of the victim during the r0bbery, notwithstanding evidence that another gang member fired the shot.
In his obiter dictum, the judge described the att@ck as a violent criminal operation that nearly claimed the victim’s life and stressed that the punishment prescribed for @rm£d r0bbery under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act was mandatory.
Justice Odokwo declared that Akpan shall be hanged by the neck until d£ath, and prayed that Almighty God have mercy upon his soul.
The court ordered that the firearms and ammunition tendered as exhibits be returned to Akwa Ibom State Police Command for official destruction, while all exhibits are to remain in court custody pending any appeal.