The parents of a Nigerian student, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, who was convicted by a United Kingdom court on charges of robbery and blackmail, have appealed to the UK authorities to review the case, insisting that their son was wrongfully convicted and had no involvement in the offences.
The student’s parents, Mr. Aderinkola Akinrinola and Mrs. Olayinka Akinrinola, disclosed that their son was found guilty on June 19, 2026, and is currently being held at Nottingham Prison ahead of his sentencing scheduled for July 27, 2026.
Addressing journalists, the couple described the conviction as a miscarriage of justice, maintaining that the evidence presented during the trial did not prove their son’s involvement in the alleged crimes.
“Our son is innocent of the charges against him. We believe he has been wrongfully convicted and is about to suffer for a crime he did not commit,” Mr. Akinrinola said.
According to the parents, the prosecution’s case was largely based on what they described as “guilt by association” with the principal suspect, identified as Richile Vagnu.
Mrs. Akinrinola explained that the evidence relied upon by prosecutors included a photograph showing her son with the alleged prime suspect and CCTV footage capturing him entering the venue where the incident later occurred.
She argued that there was no CCTV footage placing him at the scene during the robbery itself.
The couple stated that their son met Vagnu shortly after enrolling as a first-year student at the University of Leicester in September 2025, stressing that they were only acquaintances who knew each other through campus activities.
“Our son met him after resuming school. They were never close friends. They simply knew each other through campus,” his father said.
The parents acknowledged that Oluwatobiloba attended the party where the robbery allegedly took place on November 21, 2025, but insisted that he neither participated in the attack nor benefited from it.
According to them, their son briefly entered the room where the incident was unfolding, asked what was happening, and immediately left because he did not want to be involved.
They said this account remained consistent throughout the investigation and court proceedings.
The family further maintained that police searches conducted at their son’s accommodation did not recover any of the items reported stolen during the robbery.
They noted that jackets and footwear allegedly taken from the victims were never found in his possession.
The parents also challenged the financial evidence presented during the investigation, stating that while investigators alleged that victims transferred money into bank accounts belonging to other suspects, no evidence linked any financial transactions to Oluwatobiloba’s personal account.
According to the family, some prosecution witnesses testified that Oluwatobiloba was not involved in the robbery.
They claimed that one witness even suggested he appeared to be attempting to assist the victims rather than participate in the crime, adding that such testimony should have carried significant weight during the trial.
The couple also questioned why other individuals allegedly identified by victims as having more direct involvement in the incident were not prosecuted.
“We do not understand why our son has been convicted while other individuals whom victims allegedly identified have not faced the same legal consequences. We believe this raises serious questions that deserve answers,” they said.
The parents further revealed that shortly after the incident, their son voluntarily contacted the police after seeing a TikTok video that allegedly linked him to the robbery.
According to them, he offered to present himself for questioning because he believed he had nothing to hide and was reportedly informed at the time that he was not considered a suspect.
Describing their son as calm, sociable and law-abiding, the couple said he had no previous criminal record and had never been associated with any criminal activity before the case.
“He is a young man with a promising future. We fear his life is about to be permanently damaged because of a conviction we believe is unjust,” Mr. Akinrinola said.
The family appealed to the Nigerian Government, members of the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom, human rights organisations and legal advocacy groups to support efforts aimed at securing a review of the case.
“We are devastated as parents. We are simply asking that the world hears our side of the story and that the UK authorities carefully review all the evidence. We are seeking justice for our son,” they said.
Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola remains in custody at Nottingham Prison pending his sentencing on July 27, 2026.
