Man, 28, Sentenced to 21-year-Jail Term for Robbery

Justice Ntong F. Ntong of Ikot Ekpene High Court yesterday sentenced a 28-year-old man, Eberechi Mbachi, to 21 years imprisonment for robbery.

The convict was dragged to the court by the Akwa Ibom State Government on a one-count charge of armed robbery.

Mbachi in charge number HT/8/2015, was alleged to have carried out the robbery with others now at large on April 12, 2014, at Kemson Filling Station located at No. 113 Umuahia road, Ikot Ekpene.

The convict and others at large, were said to have on that fateful day, broken into Kemson Filling Station belonging to one Aniekan Nelson Ekanem where he stole cash, electric stabilizer and other items.

Mbachi with others were reported to have succeeded in the robbery after tying the security man on duty and locked him inside a generator room of the filling station.

The convict in an attempt to escape with their loot in a VW Golf car was arrested by the vigilante group within the vicinity of the filling station, while other suspects abandoned the car and fled.

The judge in the two-hour judgment meticulously scrutinised the different and contradicting statements of Eberechi Mbachi at both Ikot Ekpene Police Station and the state police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia in addition to his evidence in court before convicting him.

However, the court in the course of the trial, was not convinced that the charge of armed robbery was appropriate in the circumstance since the accused person was not armed at the time of his arrest, and the state had failed to render any weapon during the trial to support the charge of armed robbery under Section 1 (1) of the Robbery and Fire Arms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R 11, LFN 2004.

The Section provides that: “Any person who commits the offence of robbery shall upon trial and conviction under this Act, be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 21 years.

Justice Ntong found the convict guilty of committing the crime of robbery on April 12, 2014, and sentenced him accordingly.

He berated Mbachi for not engaging himself in good venture rather than crime, stressing that the sentence will serve as a deterrent to others who take to crime.