Court jails man 10 years for gun running in Ekiti

A High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a man, Mr. Efe Efi to 10 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearm.


However, in the case with registration number HAD/10c/2018, the court had freed Efi of other two charges, includjng attempted murder and robbery owing to lack of evidence against the accused person.


According to the charges preferred against the accused person by the Department of Public Prosecution, Efi was accused and charged for attempted murder and robbery after he was arrested at Moferere area of Ado Ekiti on October 27, 2016.


Delivering his judgement on Wednesday, Justice Abiodun Adesodun found the accused person guilty of illegal possession of firearm.


Convicting the accused person, Justice Adesodun said: “A case of unlawful possession of firearm had been proved beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution was able to establish the elements needed to link the accused person with the crime and he is accordingly sentenced to ten years imprisonment but the offender being a first offender , is given a sum of N20,000 as option of fine”.


On the attempted murder and robbery charges, Justice Adesodun said: “ingredients of attempted murder and robbery could not be substantiated against the accused person, you are accordingly discharged and acquitted”.


During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Mr. L.E. Ojo from the DPP office called a witness, while the counsel to the defendant, Barr. owoseeni Ajayi called no witness.


Ojo also tendered the statement of the accused person as exhibit.


The convict was said to have made spirited attempt to rob a man, Adewumi Osasona, an Okada rider and student of Ekiti State University, who conveyed him from Ijigbo to Moferere of his motorcycle and was arrested by residents after another accomplice, who shot the victim had fled.