Court sentences Ebonyi council boss’s cousin, 3 others to death by hanging

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Court sentences Ebonyi council boss’s cousin, 3 others to death by hanging

Four persons, including the cousin to the Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, have been sentenced to death by hanging by an Ebonyi State High Court, Ohaukwu Judicial Division after being found guilty of conspiracy and murder of a 26-year-old young man, Mr. Chinonso Elom Oscar on 6th of February, 2023.

The deceased and the four convicted murderers hail from Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

The convicted persons, who the Judge said will die by hanging, are Anthony Elom, Chibueze Onwe, Chief Chukwuemeka Ugah, and Uchenna Odono.

Trouble started on 6th February, 2023, when the four convicted persons, including one ThankGod Onwe, who is now at large, drove a branded Sienna bus belonging to a known political party to Ndulo Umuogudu Akpu road, stopped at the front of the late Chinonso’s business area, near Okwo Ngbo Main Market.

According to eyewitnesses, the five killers who were believed to be members of a secret cult, demanded that their victim, Chinonso Elom known as Oscar, must provide information on the whereabouts of his younger brother whom they reportedly had a misunderstanding with.

Chinonso’s inability to provide such information about his brother as demanded made them drag him into the Sienna bus.

Upon his refusal to enter the Sienna, one of the hoodlums, Anthony Elom also known as Tidy shot him on the head with a shotgun and he died instantly.

The gruesome murder of the 26-year-old Oscar caused a pandemonium leading to a wide protest by Ngbo youths who demanded that the killers be arrested and brought to justice.

Four of the killers who could be recognized by some eyewitnesses were subsequently arrested by the Police while the fifth person, ThankGod Onwe remained at large.

They were later charged to court for conspiracy and murder preferred on them by the Ebonyi state government.

Delivering the judgement on Thursday, Justice Esther Otah of the Abakaliki High Court, Ohaukwu

Division, said that the evidence provided by the Prosecuting Counsel, including the eyewitnesses, proofed beyond reasonable doubts that the accused were responsible for the killing of the said Chinonso Elom, stressing that the defense of the defendants were not enough to exonerate them from the crime.

She added that a forensic check on the gun later recovered from the killers also indicated that it was used last on the 6th of February, 2023.

On why they were all served the death penalty instead of singling out Anthony Elom who shot the victim, Justice Otah said that the killing was an act of conspiracy and that one of the conspirators was the first to shoot the victim was immaterial.

“Anthony Elom a.k.a Tidy, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul.

Chibueze Onwe a.k.a “Chief oo, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul.

“Chukwuemeka Ugah a.k.a Parity, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul.

“Uchenna Odono, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul.“ The Judge declared.

Reacting to the judgement, Counsel to the defendants, Barr Chinedu Uwa said he was not satisfied with the Judgement and that he will appeal the judgement.

The Prosecuting Counsel, Barr. Oluchi Ibiam of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice and some lawyers from Ohaukwu Local Government Area who were in the Court, Barr. Chinedu Ugadu and Barr. Chinedu Ituma, expressed satisfaction with the judgement and maintained that the verdict by the Judge was a true reflection of justice.

Responding to the judgement, the President of the Amalgamated Ngboejeogu Youth, Barr. Michael Odo applauded the judgement with mixed feelings, insisting that whereas the gruesome murder of the late Chinonso Elom was an evidence of the level of decay in our system, the judgement should serve as a deterrent to youths who still indulge in cultism and other vices.