Armed Robbery Case: Defendants Deny Confessional Statements
By The9JaTREND
Three junior secondary school dropouts has denied their alleged written and video confessional statements before a Benin High Court.
The three defendants are Osamudiamwen Abudu, Sunday Owolabi, and Emeka Igwe.
The defendants are facing a three-count charge, pertaining to conspiracy, armed robbery, and receipt of stolen items.
At the resumed hearing of the case, the Evidence in Chief, Inspetor Oloyo Thompson, of the Legal Monitoring Unit, Edo Police Command, told the court that the defendants made written confessional statements and a video-recorded statement, transferred to a flash drive, detailing how they committed the crime.
When confronted with their alleged written statements, the three defendants denied knowing anything about the statements.
They also denied the signatures on the written statements of theirs.
Abudu and Owolabi, along with others at large, were arrested on August 18, 2024, at Ugbowo at a police checkpoint.
According to Inspector Thompson, the defendants were arrested with three phones and a power bank, which they had stolen from University of Benin students at Ekosodin, Ugbowo.
He said that during the investigation, it was discovered that the two defendants had robbed one Iriogbe David of one phone and a power bank, and at the time of the robbery, they were armed with broken bottles and stones.
He said Abudu and Owolabi also robbed other students of their phones, which they had previously sold to Emeka Igwe, who is the third defendant.
Igwe allegedly made a confessional statement that he did receive stolen iPhone 6 and iPhone 7.
In their statements, the three defendants allegedly said they were junior secondary school dropouts, and Igwe later learned how to repair phones.
Thompson said Igwe was arrested in his shop at King’s Square in the Bob Izua shopping mall.
In the alleged statements, Abudu and Owolabi said the stolen phones that have passwords were sold for N25,000 each, while the ones without passwords are sold for N35,000 each.
On Igwe’s alleged statement, he mentioned that he was arrested before as a result of buying stolen phones.
The offense contravened Section 6(b) and is punishable under Section 1(2)(a) and Section 5 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap 11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
However, the presiding Judge, Justice Williams Aziegbemhin, granted the request of the state prosecuting counsel, Mr. Abel Amasowomw, for the court to play the confessional video statement transferred to a flash drive.
The alleged defendants’ written and signed confessional statements were read openly by the Evidence in Chief, and the defendants’ statements and application, as well as the bond of the victims, were tendered and marked as Exhibits.
The defendants’ counsel, Miss Eloho Chika, did not oppose the prosecuting counsel’s request but she stated that she was ambushed.
Chika said she was supposed to have access to the exhibits and look at the video to enable her to prepare for cross-examination before watching it in open court.
However, Justice Williams Aziegbemhin adjourned the case to October 8 for cross-examination and continuation of hearing. (NAN)
