Cleric Evangelist Adewale Adelu and five others have been sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery, involving the robbery of two commercial banks in Akure and Idanre in 2011. Adelu, along with Ikechuckwu Maduagwu, Fayemi Olubusuyi, Ropo Adeleye, Dele Otopka, and Bayo Omotosho, were found guilty of robbing Diamond Bank Plc in Akure, stealing N30 million and various phones, and also robbing First Bank Plc in Idanre, taking N4 million.
The convicts were arraigned on July 14, 2022, on charges of conspiracy, armed robbery, and illegal possession of firearms. They pleaded not guilty and were remanded to the Olokuta Correctional Centre. The prosecution, led by F.K Salami, presented evidence that the convicts also attacked a church in Ilara-Mokin and robbed two pastors of their cars.
During the trial, a witness described how the robbers, armed with guns, gained entrance to the banking hall, shot a policeman, and made off with the money. Despite no direct eyewitness linking the defendants to the crime, their confessional statements and other evidence led to their conviction.
Presiding Judge, Justice Yemi Fasanmi, noted that while there were no direct eyewitnesses, the confessions of the defendants and other evidence corroborated the prosecution's case. He found the defendants guilty of armed robbery and sentenced them to death by hanging.
