Uchendu Mark – Port Harcourt
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced five persons to death by hanging on conviction of murder of one Mr Anthony Okoro.
Five out of seven persons in suit number PHC/324/2017, Oluchi Charles (1st Defendant), Miracle Anumuna (2nd Defendant), Ifeanyi Simon (3rd Defendant), Koko Basset (4th Defendant) and Uchenna Stanley Amaechi (7th Defendant), were convicted of the 10 charges preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police bordering on conspiracy, stealing, armed robbery, kidnapping and murder.
Chukwudi Etete (5th Defendant) and Anthony Ugwu (6th Defendant) the remaining two persons mentioned in the suit were discharged and acquitted by the court.
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The suspects had on the 29th of May 2016 attacked the home of one Anthony Okoro in Woji area of Port Harcourt, who so a staff member of Shell Petroleum Development Company, shot him and carried his body away.
The suspects were also said to have stolen a Range Rover Jeep, Kia Optima Car, Television sets, a phone and other valuables belonging the the victim.
In the judgment, the trial judge, Justice George Omereji, held that the prosecution was able to prove his case, that the first to fourth and seventh defendants were guilty as charged in the matter.
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In his judgment on Etete and Ugwu, Omereji stated that the prosecution could not prove that the duo had knowledge of the crime, rather they by mistake bought phones belonging to the victim, Okoro.
He also held that the prosecution proved the case of conspiracy against the suspects in law, adding that the it was proven that the suspects had met at Genesis area of Woji in Port Harcourt and planned the operation and kidnap of Anthony Okoro.
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The trial judge also noted that the prosecution also proved that death of the victim was caused by the suspects, regretting that Anthony Okoro was shot on his arm and taken away along side his cars and other valuables by the suspects.
However, Omereji, who relied his ruling on Section 410 of the Administration of Criminal Justice 2011, sentenced the five convicted persons to death by hanging, adding that they should be held on the rope till they are confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, the prosecution counsel, I. Ubulom has described the judgement as justice, adding that it would serve as deterrent to others involved in criminal activities.
