Court Sentences Man To Death For Stealing 1,705 Naira

A Jos High Court on Thursday sentenced a 26-year-old man, Obinah John, to death by hanging for robbing one Dorothy Olaniyi of N1, 705.

The convict was also sentenced to death for robbing Olaniyi of two rolls of peak milk in sachets, valued at N400, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

The prosecution counsel, Mr. G. D. Fwonyon, who is the deputy director, Public Prosecution in Plateau State had told the court that John, in company with an accomplice, also named John, now at large, robbed the woman on November 18, 2005 in her shop at Gada Biu, Jos at gunpoint.

He told the court that John and his accomplice, having allegedly conspired and used a gun to rob Olaniyi, had committed a criminal offence punishable by hanging.

But John’s counsel, Mr. Tobechukwu Kekemeke, rejected the prosecutor’s claim, and accused the police of “not telling the truth about the gun” said to have been used by John.

Kekemeke pointed out that the police presented three statements, with only the last indicating a confession by the accused that he used a gun against the victim.

The defence counsel further argued that the prosecution had failed to prove to the court that the accused actually used a gun to commit the act.

He asked the court to throw out the case for lack of diligent prosecution, arguing that “the circumstances of the third statement, in which John was said to have admitted ownership of the gun, is suspect.”

In a 60-page judgment, Justice Yargata Nimpa said the evidence before the court had shown that the accused committed the offence and sentenced John to death by hanging.

“The accused is hereby sentenced to death by hanging, but the judgment is liable to an appeal,” Nimpa declared.

Kekemeke told NAN that he would appeal against the verdict.

“The convict has the right to appeal against the judgment. It is not a judgment that we are satisfied with, so we are definitely going to appeal at the Court of Appeal,” he vowed.

47 COMMENTS

  1. The story did not give the name of the judge.He‘s likely to be a muslim.The judgement is biased & has some undertone.Bear in mind that Jos is passing through religious conflict.Or,perhaps,the judge is a “bokoharam“-that dont value life.Maybe he is barren & does not know the worth of a child.The Almighty will not let that stupid judge know peace.He will not enter grave with joy but grief of heart through out his generation.Mad man!

  2. This must be a joke and cannot be true… It only depict the situation of Nigeria and how the pen-robbers are left free or with little conviction but the poor suffer heavily looking for daily bread as to not to die of hunger…

  3. NIGERIAN; can you see how USELESS, PITIABLE, and SHAMEFUL Nigeria Lawyers or Judges are? The same state of former thief governor JOSHUA DARIYE. Oh! God will punish you this embarrazing lawyers and judges. NIGERIA LAWYERS AND JUDGES ARE REALLY COMPLICATING ISSUES.

  4. The fact here is the crime and not the amount stolen. Being wit a gun is another issue. The crime is ‘robbery’ and not ‘amount robbed’; the crime and amount are mutually exclusive as reflected by the constitution therefore, the judge has done nothing wrong. Stealin such little money shows he’s a broke guy and it is quite obvious that he can’t pay for better lawyers or bribe (lol), unlike our politicians. On my own side, i suggest he should be punished but not ‘death’ haba!….it shows it is hunger that led him into it naaaaa

  5. @ Kayode Titus: what has being a muslim judge got to do with passing a death sentence! it just shows how myopic your tots are and how biased and sentimental u are. at least i can see two comments from muslims on this page condeming the act. how christian or holy are u if i may ask?

    back to the issue, it just shows how crazy our judicial system is in Nigeria. we have cases of bank fund mismanagement and outright theft, pension scam, police salary scam, subsidy probe scam etc and no one is yet hung to death, but steal 1500 and face the wrath of the law. our legal system is skewed favourably to the side of the rich and powerful. its the poor man dat pays all price. too bad

  6. My own concern is on when the crime was committed, Nov,2005. what stall the decision since then? Justice delayed is justice denied. @pam was talking about the crime and not the amount. what about the armed robbery cases all over nija since then. how many of them have been prsecuted let alond killed by firing squad? lets call a spade a spade. though not in support of what the guy in question did, the crime is not whort a death penalty. am sure he has been under detention since 2005, this has to be considered.

  7. U all spoke well. All govt offices and positions in nigeria are all corrupt, infidel, hells, full of robbers, cover me i cover u criminal acts. They r doomed for hell fire, they and their generations. I am not sentimental to any religion or part of d country, all is involved even u and i.

  8. @kayode titus. your second sentence is capable of tearing this country apart. you should be watchful of how you comment on issues like this. if you have issues with muslims, that is your personal problem, dont bring sentiment into d whole matter. this is a clear case of failure of the judicial system of nigeria where there is no wisdom behind some rulings and where the essence of law and punishment is totally forgotten and where right and wrong holds no meaning to the lawmakers.

  9. the judge is stupid & heartless n the woman which money was stolen is also a bad fellow, both of them does not deserve to live a fulfilled life, God will definitely punish them. as for d judge, if sum1 can be sentenced to death for stealin #1,705 den wat of those stupid politicians that stole billions of naira, wat did they do to them? they are goin around in big cars, enjoyin as if nothin happened. this is a very cruel an injustice act, its not a murder case. being detained for 7yrs is enough. God will save us from the powerful pple in Nigeria.

  10. …hhaaaaaaa, i wonder why the court/Judges are most pro-active when it concerns people or issues of this sort! The Judge’s decisions are based on facts before it! Though the facts arent stated but i opined that the judgemnet be contended with an appeal metigating/varying the sentence.
    He should be imprisoned instead, afterall there are so many justified Mini-legislooters who should be greeted with such penalty and not a hungry man though hunger doesn’t warrant carring of arms. GOD SAVE HIS SOUL!

  11. Maybe d judge relative has bin sentenced 2 death by hangin b4 so he want 2 revenge. He is mad……yes realy mad…has he be able 2 sentense dose dat steal billions of naira 2 prison b4 he wil sentence smbdy who hunger has pushd 2 steal #1705 4 feeding 2 death by hanging? He is stupid.

  12. A̶̲̥̅♏ ashamed of My country!does such act exist again?& for cryin out loud wen would d poor be free frm intimidation???after 7yrs dis man would hav repented!!! Йą wa oº°˚˚˚.where re al d national thieves?d̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣̥ are stil in deir houses despite real evidences against dem.pls d family of dis young man shld not be quite,go for an appeal if possible bring in d notice of international powers & human right authorities.Йą d man d̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣̥ start say person d̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣̥ thief?rubbish judge

  13. So many incensitivities and stupidity in Nigeria. What kind of Judge is that. Those our law carry that kind of maximum sentence. We should just start assasinating all thses stupid politicians and judges. They deserve to die. We need thorough cleansing of the land. Let’s wipe out all thses men nd women acting foolishly

  14. haha………….. now we all can see that even the judiciary is part of the national cake sharing…………………we just have to take the law into our hands cos right now the law is baseless, it has no home, no carrier and might die soon. i love the law protecting me and i will fight for it……. nigerians we are domant and our coming generation will suffer more than we are doing if we continue with this trend

  15. @Kayode Titus, Do you have any problem with Muslims? Justice Yargata Nimpar is not a Man and a Muslim. Just because she is from the North doesnt make her a Muslim. I dont agree with the sentence especially when the World is trying to move away from capital punishment.

  16. Mr judge, judge well nt evil bcos if dat boy finally hang u will nt go unpurnished idiot let’s clap 4 u hv caught bankole, farouk lawan, james ibori and partricia eteh, useless judge. Any well, dis is d sign of his end time. Let dis boy nt b killed mr judge bcos d blood of poor pesn will b upon u 4ever in ur life. Ochicha mikwa gi onu onye akwukwo abani.

  17. Robbery is robbery. It does nt matter d amt involved. Do u kn wat d woman went tru under gun pt? I’m sure d guy didn’t knw it was dat ridiculus amt he was stealin. So don’t let us condmn d judge.if dos stealn our money have been gettin punished b4 they got 2 govt seat, they would have checked themselves.

  18. Robbery is robbery. It does nt matter d amt involved. Do u knw wat d woman went tru under gun pt? I’m sure d guy didn’t knw it was dat ridiculus amt he was stealin. So don’t let us condmn d judge.if dos stealn our money have been gettin punished b4 they got 2 govt seat, they would have checked themselves.

  19. Mr Erics and co I think you are getting it wrong. The man is not being sntenced to death for stealling the money. He is sentenced for armed robbery in accordance with the law. Until we change our laws such that it is the amount in question that detremines whether man was armed or not, the judge did right if it was proven that the man threatened the victim with a weapon even if he did not find anything on her. I am sure if he had found billions on her he would have stolen it. We must stop being subjective.

  20. the government should compensate him the sum of N300,000,000:00 for the delay of prosecution since 2005 and another N1.5B for detention since then….not in support of the crime,neither in support of the manner the case was handled…..people who billions of dollars do not get mentioned,if they do mentioned….they do not any purnishment…..if they do get purnishment…..they get a presidential pardon clause attached….why? do we decieve ourselves…..