BY VIVIAN MICHAEL

Justice G.C. Anulude of an Anambra State High Court sitting in Neni has sentenced one Nonso Anunobi to life imprisonment for his involvement in a case of armed robbery.

The convict was charged with conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, and attempted murder — actions contrary to the Criminal Code Act and the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, alongside other relevant legislation.

In the suit marked NN/5C/2019, Nonso Anunobi and his gang members waylaid their victim, one Aloysius Obidinma, at Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state, while he was returning to Onitsha from his hometown.

According to the prosecution, the unsuspecting victim was ambushed, brutally assaulted, shot, and dragged into the criminals’ vehicle.

The hoodlums, it was further revealed, dispossessed the victim of his car, laptop, phones, and other personal effects before demanding ransom from his family as a condition for his release.

Their dastardly acts were, however, exposed when law enforcement officers swung into action and tracked one of the stolen devices, which eventually led them to apprehend the culprits.

The prosecution, led by the Assistant Chief State Counsel, Fabian Okeke, provided substantial evidence linking the culprit to the heinous crime and reminded the court that “under the law, a conviction for armed robbery ordinarily attracts a death sentence.”

The defence counsel, however, passionately pleaded for leniency on behalf of the accused.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Anulude, after careful consideration of the final addresses and the weight of evidence before the court, convicted the defendant and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

“While the law stipulates death for armed robbery, the peculiar circumstances and the plea for mercy influenced the decision of the court.

“The court finds the accused guilty as charged, and the cruelty of the acts committed cannot be glossed over.

“This judgment will serve as a strong deterrent to other criminally-minded elements who may wish to terrorise law-abiding citizens in society.”

Reacting, the Assistant Chief State Counsel, Okeke, while expressing satisfaction with the ruling, reiterated the need for continuous collaboration among the police, the judiciary, and the public to sustain the gains made in the fight against violent crimes in the state.