Bus driver sentenced to death for stealing N68,000

BY PETER DURU - Makurdi

A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Iorhemen Hwande has sentenced a bus driver, Tanko Inalegwu, to death by hanging for robbing his passengers of the sum of N68,000 at gun point. Justice Hwande, in his ruling held that the prosecution proved before the court that the convict had on October 10th., 2013 conspired with others, now at large to rob their victims of various sums of money totalling N68,000.

He stated that the convict and his gang had conspired and pretended to be passengers in the commercial vehicles only to rob the unsuspecting victims at the old Customs House, North Bank, Makurdi after which they pushed out the three victims from the moving vehicle. He maintained that the evidence tendered before the court showed clearly that the convict was a key player in the robbery contrary to his claim before the court. Justice Hwande said the the confessional statement of the convict which was made to the Police provided enough ground for the verdict of the court and his conviction.

He held that the court was not convinced by the denial of the convict that he gave the confessional statement after being tortured by the police. He stated that the witnesses called by the prosecutor convinced the court of the culpability of the convict who actually conspired with others to rob their innocent victims.