JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal against the judgment delivered at the High Court of Justice, Abeokuta, Ogun State of Nigeria on 2nd August, 2002. In the judgment, the appellant was found guilty of the offences of conspiracy and armed robbery and was sentenced to death by hanging. The appellant felt irked with his conviction and sentence and has appealed to this court.
The appellant and the complainants, at the material time, resided at Olumogbe village in Asero, Abeokuta in Ogun State. Sequel to a string of armed robbery attacks between January and July 2000, the residents formed a community association and a vigilante group to check the incessant activities of the robbers. Reports of the robberies were made to the Police by the complainants. But none of them gave the identities of the robbers. They did not give any indication that they knew any of the robbers.
In August 2001, about 14 months after the last robbery incident, the commun…