Abia Man Tried, Jailed for Robbery, Not Stolen Generator – Commissioner
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that Fresh facts have emerged over the popular case of Ogbonna Ogbojionu, an Abia State native recently freed after 22 years in prison.
Contrary to the social media claims suggesting that the man was wrongly jailed for simply buying a stolen generator, it has been revealed that he was indeed an armed robber who was duly tried in a law court and sentenced to death.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ogun State, Oluwasina Ogungbade, who gave the revelations insisted that Ogbonna was convicted for armed robbery and culpable homicide, not the purchase of stolen goods as widely reported online.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ogungbade noted that the real victim was Moses Bankole who sadly died in the robbery incident.
Ogbonna’s release had attracted widespread attention, following reports that Governor Alex Otti of Abia State intervened after learning Ogbonna was allegedly sentenced to death for innocently buying a generator. The social media commentary portrayed him as a victim of Nigeria’s flawed justice system.
However, the Ogun AG presented a detailed account of the events, stating that on October 3, 2000, Ogbonna and a gang of armed robbers attacked an ELF petrol station on the Abeokuta–Lagos Road, killed one security guard (Moses Bankole), seriously injured another (Yusuf Akanni), and stole a 10 KVA Lister generator.
“Ogbonna, a generator technician, was the one who loosened the generator. His gang beat the guards with iron rods. One died on the spot,” Ogungbade said. Escape and Arrest
Ogbonna was later arrested after the generator was discovered in a concealed truck at a police checkpoint. He initially escaped custody, but police investigations led to his rearrest and that of his accomplices. The stolen generator was recovered, and several witnesses, including the buyer of the generator, testified against him.
The Attorney General explained that Ogbonna confessed to the crime during trial and failed to present any evidence or witnesses in his defense.
“If he truly bought the generator, he would have shown a receipt. Instead, he issued a receipt after selling the generator to another party,” the AG noted.
He also questioned the believability of Ogbonna’s claims of being forced to sign a confession, stating that no objections were raised during trial and that his legal strategy was effectively passive. Death Sentence and Clemency
Ogbonna was sentenced to death in 2003, but in 2021, Governor Dapo Abiodun commuted his sentence to life imprisonment under the prerogative of mercy. His release only came recently after further review.
