Rivers Court sentences police officer to death for killing driver over N100 bribe


Tina Amanda

A High court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced Sergeant James Imanilu
to death by hanging for the murder of late David Legbara, a commercial bus driver in 2015.

Justice Elsie Thompson who delivered the Judgement, found the dismissed
Sergeant Imanilu guilty of the murder of Late Legbara at Wimpy junction in
Port Harcourt.

Justice Thompson ruled that the evidence before the court showed the Defendant intentionally fired a bullet at the commercial driver.

The Judge described the dismissed Sergeant James Imanilu as a serial
trigger-happy policeman that should not be allowed to remain in society.

She held that the court found the former policeman guilty having looked at his extra-judicial and confessional statements as well as the evidence presented by the prosecution and their witnesses.

One of the Prosecution Counsel, Kingsley Briggs, thanked God that justice has finally been served even though the wheels of Justice grind slowly, it will surely come.

He sympathized with the family of the deceased who has lost a loved one and bread winner just as he maintained that the judgement will give them succor.

Also, a representative of a legal Aide Council in Rivers State, and Counsel to the Defendants, said they will study the judgment to know the next line of actions if it’s to proceed to appeal or not.