Tina Amanda
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced Ifeanyichukwu Maxwell Dike and Ugochukwu Nwamiro to death by hanging, for the murder of 8 years old Chikamso Victory Mezube, who was murdered and her body mutilated in Eliozu, in Obio/Akpor local government area of the state.
Ifeanyichukwu Dike, who was a 200-level undergraduate of the Physics Department, University of Port Harcourt, has been standing trial in the murder case alongside, Ugochukwu Nwamiro 2nd Defendant and Sergeant Johnbosco Okoronze 3rd Defendant, since 2017 when the matter was brought to court.
In his Judgement delivery, Justice Adolphus Enebeli ruled that Ifeanyichukwu Dike should be hanged on his neck until he is dead, while Ugochukwu Nwamiro should be hanged on his leg until he is dead.
Justice Enebeli found Sergeant Johnbosco Okoronze guilty for aiding and abating the escape of Ifeanyichukwu Dike from Police custody at the state Criminal Investigation Department and sentenced him to one-year imprisonment.
Justice Enebeli ruled that his judgment for convicting Ugochukwu Nwamiro relies on the confessional statement made by the 1st defendant Ifeanyichukwu Dike, who in his statements maintained that the 2nd Defendant asked him to get sensitive body parts of a little girl for financial independence.
Justice Enebeli convicted Ifeanyichukwu Dike and Ugochukwu Nwamiro, without an option of fine.
Speaking to our correspondent Tina Amanda, State Prosecuting Counsel, Chidi Ekeh, said the judgment is Justice served for the gruesome murder of 8 years old Chikamso Victory Mezube.
John Ndah, Counsel to the 2nd Defendant Ugochukwu Nwamiro, expressed displeasure with the judgment, stressing that he will appeal the judgment as it is an aberration to the law.
“Confessional statement is very highly regarded in criminal Justice, but where a criminal or accused person makes more than one or two confessional statements, it is not the duty of the judge to take one, delete one or don’t believe the rest.
“The totality of the judgment was heightened on the 2nd Defendant receiving a text from the 1st Defendant”
Also speaking, Lezina Amegwa, Counsel to Ifeanyichukwu Dike, said they are yet to consider their next line of action on the judgment delivered.
“The judgment of the court at all times remain supreme, it is the wisdom of the court upon which it has found its position which remains the truth. As lawyers, we know in a case of conviction that has to do with death sentence case, it is not mandatory for the court to be persuaded by our plea of allocution.
“It is the position of the law of which I think the court has actually ruled out today. The next line of action as lawyers, we will get back to our drawing board, if there is any need to take further action, we will do same, but for us, the court has given its judgment”
