Justice Yetunde Adesanya of a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, on Wednesday sentenced two men, Ahmed Musa and Oluwole Sunday, to 14 years imprisonment each, for robbery.
The convicts were convicted and sentenced after they pleaded guilty under a plea bargain agreement.
Musa and Sunday were initially arraigned on Feb. 15, 2018, before the court on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery.
They had pleaded not guilty, and were remanded.
Their trial began on May 30, 2018. They later entered into a plea bargain agreement with prosecution.
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In her judgment, Adesanya held that the sentence was in line with Section 76 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 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.
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