Court sentences man to death by hanging for murder

Earlier, the prosecution, led by Victoria Ononye-Ekwerekwu, a chief state counsel,  Florence Abadom-Igweike and Nkiru Nzekwu, both principal state counsel, told the court that Okoye went to the residence of the victim, Blessing Mba, at Abime village, Oba, on  22 February, 2024, to steal a multi-purpose grinding machine.

The prosecution stated that an argument ensued between Mr Okoye and the deceased, during which Mr Okoye struck Mrs Mba on the head with a pestle, causing her death.

The prosecution said Okoye dragged the deceased’s body into her children’s room, covered it with their clothes and took away her grinding machine and generator.

It said  Okoye then boarded a commercial motorcycle to Afor Oba Market with the stolen items.

The prosecution said the deceased’s husband, who had earlier taken their children to school, spotted Okoye on the motorcycle with his wife’s grinding machine and generator.

It said the husband, upon returning home, discovered his wife’s lifeless body in the children’s room and alerted security operatives, who later arrested Okoye at Afor Oba Market with the stolen items.

Mr Okoye, in his defence, denied the offence, disowned his extra-judicial statement in which he admitted committing the offence and pleaded self-defence.

(NAN)