From Uyo.

Justice Okon Okon of Akwa Ibom State High Court, Uyo, has sentenced a 27-year-old man, Sylvester Emmanuel Ime, to death, for armed robbery. He is to die by hanging. Ime, who hails from Ekit Itam in Itu Local Government Council, was found guilty of robbing Dam Dave Company, located on Idoro Road, Uyo on December 18, 2016.

The Court held that the convict, in company of five others now at large, attacked security men on the premises of Dam Dave Company, carting away two Mack trucks, worth seven million Naira.

Ime, in his confessional statement, told the court that he was contacted through phone call by one Nonso, from Aba in Abia State to provide him with security information about the company, which led to the success of the robbery. He said they met him at Itam Junction in Uyo about 9:00p.m. and hid in a bush at Idoro Road till 2:00a.m, when they carried out the robbery operation, after which he was given one hundred thousand Naira as his share out of the N1.5million they sold the trucks. While others escaped, Ime was not lucky as the Director of State Services (DSS), tracked the stolen phone of one of the security men of the company, leading to the arrest of the accused person through his girlfriend, one Victoria. Ime, who is a father of one, while giving graphic details of the robbery, listed other members of the gang to include one Eze, Auchi and Chibuzor, all from Abia State, who are at large. In his judgment, Justice Okon Okon said he could no longer hold his peace on the vexed trend in Akwa Ibom, where armed robbery, kidnapping, child stealing and other crimes are masterminded with external influences.

He ordered that the accused person should die by hanging.