Court Sentence Five Persons To Death By Hanging
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The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced five persons to death by hanging for kidnapping and murdering Mr. Anthony Okoro.
The five defendants out of seven persons in suit number PHC/324/2017, are Oluchi Charles, Miracle Anumuna, Ifeanyi Simon, Koko Basset and Uchenna Stanley Amaechi.
They were convicted on the 10 count charge brought against them by the Inspector-General of Police on conspiracy, stealing, armed robbery, kidnapping and murder.
The fifth and sixth defendants, Chukwudi Etete and Anthony Ugwu, were discharged and acquitted by the court.
The convicts were said to have on May 26, 2016, attacked the home of Anthony Okoro in Woji area of Port Harcourt, shot him and carted away his body.
It was further said that the convicts stole an Infinix Phone, Television Sets, Range Rover jeep, Kia Optimal car and other valuables belonging to the victim.
The trial judge, Justice George Omereji, in his judgement yesterday, Tuesday, September 8, 2020 held that the prosecution proved its case that the first to fourth and seventh defendants were as guilty as charged. He discharged and acquitted the fifth and sixth defendants, stating that the prosecution could not prove that they had knowledge of the crime, rather they unknowingly bought phones belonging to the victim.
The judge also held that the prosecution proved the case of conspiracy against the convicts.
“It was proven that the convicts had met at Genesis area of Woji in Port Harcourt and planned the kidnap of Okoro and the death of the victim was caused by the convicts,” the judge said.
He regretted that Okoro was shot on his arm and taken away alongside his cars and other valuables by the suspects. Omereji based his verdict on Section 410 of the Administration of Criminal Justice 2011.
He declared that the convicts should be held by the rope till they are confirmed dead.
