A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday sentenced two men to death by hanging for offences bordering on armed robbery and kidnapping.

The defendants, Abubakar Sodiki and Abubakar Mohammed, were prosecuted on a six-count charge that included criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping and illegal possession of firearms.

Delivering judgment, Justice Ahmed Aliyu Gegele held that the evidence presented before the court clearly established the involvement of the defendants in the offences.

The victim, Saheed Arowasi of Boniya in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, had earlier narrated his ordeal in the hands of the kidnappers while testifying before the court.

Arowasi told the court that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N100 million but later reduced the demand to N10 million after negotiations before he was eventually released.

The court also admitted statements made by the defendants and the victim at the police station as part of the evidence considered in the case.

On the charge relating to illegal possession of firearms, Justice Gegele convicted the defendants under counts three and four.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Muslimah Suleiman, argued that the charges against the defendants were sufficiently established by the evidence presented before the court.

Before sentencing, the court invited the defendants to make their allocutus.

Counsel to the defendants, Shu'aib Ibrahim, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

While the first defendant begged the court for leniency, the second defendant maintained that he had no knowledge of the allegations and urged the court to discharge and acquit him.

The prosecution, however, informed the court that it was not aware of any previous criminal record against the defendants.

In his ruling, Justice Gegele said he had carefully considered the pleas of the defendants but noted that the court could not exercise discretion where the law clearly prescribed punishment for the offences.

He subsequently sentenced the defendants to death by hanging on counts one and two relating to armed robbery.

For the offence of illegal possession of firearms, the court sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment, while they were also handed life imprisonment for the offence of kidnapping.

The judge said the sentences would run according to the provisions of the law.

Reacting after the judgment, the first defendant's counsel, Ibrahim, requested the court to provide a certified copy of the judgment to enable the defence study it and determine its next line of action.

The case commenced on April 29, 2025, and final addresses were adopted on July 30, 2025, before the judgment was delivered.