A Nigerian man jailed in Ireland has received an 11-year sentence after he terrorized two students at knifepoint, threatening to cut off their fingers unless they handed over cash and drugs. The attack, which took place on July 2, 2023, at rented student accommodation on Highfield Avenue, College Road, Cork, left the victims physically injured and emotionally shaken.
Martin Ekhosuehi, 22, of Willow Gardens, Glanmire, County Cork, had faced charges of aggravated burglary, assault causing harm, and making threats to kill. He denied all counts, but a Cork Circuit Criminal Court jury found him guilty. On March 5, 2026, Judge Sinead Behan sentenced him to 11 years in prison, with the final two years suspended due to his age.
Court testimony revealed the terrifying details of the robbery. Detective Garda Eoghain O’Callaghan explained that around 7 pm, the two students were forced to flee to a neighbor’s house to alert authorities. The intruders had entered the property by force. One wore an all-black tracksuit with a ski mask, blue gloves, and carried a large chef’s knife, while the other wore a similar outfit and wielded a flathead screwdriver. Both demanded money and drugs, ransacking the house and assaulting the students.
During the ordeal, one of the students was on a phone call with his girlfriend in Drogheda. The sudden noises and abrupt end of the call prompted her to alert gardaí. When officers arrived shortly afterward, the intruders warned the students that they would be killed if they tried to respond to the police. The attackers eventually fled through the backdoor, taking €30 in cash and the students’ phones. Forensic evidence, including a fingerprint on a glove left behind, linked Ekhosuehi to the crime. CCTV footage also confirmed his involvement.
Both students sustained cuts and bruises. They testified that they had been repeatedly threatened with death and feared for their lives. The court also learned that Ekhosuehi had a history of criminal activity, including multiple drug-related convictions, possession of knives, money laundering, and producing an article in the course of a dispute.
In sentencing, Judge Behan emphasized the premeditated nature of the crime and the lack of remorse shown by Ekhosuehi. She noted that the accused and his accomplice had deliberately concealed their identities and executed the robbery with clear intent. While aggravated burglary carries a headline sentence of 12 years, the judge reduced the sentence to 11 years and suspended the final two, citing Ekhosuehi’s youth and the presence of a supportive family.
The case highlights the vulnerability of students living in rented accommodation and the persistent threat posed by repeat offenders with access to weapons. Gardaí and local authorities emphasized the importance of vigilance and the role of community reporting in swiftly addressing violent incidents.
