The family of Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola has made their position clear: their son is innocent, and the UK court that convicted him got it wrong. Now the question is what happens next. His sentencing is set for July 27, 2026, at a Nottingham prison where he is currently being held.
That date looms large. His parents, Mr Aderinkola Akinrinola and Mrs Olayinka Akinrinola, released a statement in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday.
They are not simply asking for leniency. They are calling for a full review of the verdict itself. That is a different kind of plea.
It challenges the foundation of the case, not just the punishment. The conviction came down on June 19, 2026.
A UK court found the Nigerian student guilty of robbery and blackmail. But the parents argue the evidence against him was thin. They point to specific gaps.
No money transfers from victims showed up in their son’s bank records, they said. Investigators found transfers to accounts tied to other suspects, but not to Oluwatobiloba. That is a concrete detail.
It undercuts the prosecution’s narrative of a coordinated crime. CCTV footage did not place him at the scene of the alleged robbery, the parents stated.
It showed him arriving at the party. That is all. The family claims that some victims testified in court that Oluwatobiloba was not among those who robbed them.
If true, that is a direct contradiction of the guilty verdict. The heart of the parents’ argument is association.
Their son met Richile Vagnu shortly after starting his first year at Leicester University in September 2025. They stress it was an acquaintance, not a close friendship. He was at the party where the incident occurred, they said.
But he was never involved. According to the family, he briefly entered the room, asked what was happening, and left after making it clear he did not want to be involved. That version of events was not enough to sway the jury.
But the parents are now taking their case to a wider audience. The shift is unmistakable.
A family’s private grief has become a public appeal. They are asking for a second look. The fallout touches more than one family.
Oluwatobiloba was a student at Leicester University. His conviction raises questions about how international students are treated in the UK justice system.
It also puts pressure on Nigerian diplomatic channels. The parents released their statement in Ibadan, not London. That suggests they are working through local networks, seeking support at home.
What comes next is uncertain. The sentencing hearing on July 27 will determine how long he stays in prison. But the parents are not waiting for that date.
They are pushing for a review before then. That is a tight timeline.
British court processes do not move quickly. A review of a conviction is not a routine step. The family has laid out specific points.
Circumstantial evidence. Association with the principal suspect.
No financial trail linking their son to the crime. Witness testimony that contradicts the verdict. These are the building blocks of their appeal.
Whether the court system will listen is another matter. For now, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola remains in a Nottingham prison. His parents are in Nigeria, speaking to the press, trying to change the story.
The sentencing date is one month away. That is not much time.
