NGWUTA JCA (DELIVERING THE LEAD JUDGMENT): the appellant was charged with tried and convicted of the offence of attempted robbery, contrary to the provisions of section 2(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, 1990 (as amended). The presiding judge, Shoremi, J (as his lordship then was), sentenced the appellant to life imprisonment on 21 June 2005.
Briefly, the respondent’s case in the trial court is that the appellant on 26 September 2002 by 8.00 p.m., came into the video rental shop in the Saje Maternity neighbourhood of A PW1 in an attempt to rob him. The appellant on the other hand said he went to the shop to collect the sum of ₦250.00 (two hundred and fifty naira) he earlier paid to an unidentified person for a video cassette. He admitted there was a fight between him and the sales boy, the PW1 and that the fight attracted the PW2, who joined in beating A him and the PW3, the husband of PW2 and others. He denied the charge of attempted robbery of PW1.
To prove it…