By Onoriode Etatsemi.
EFFURUN/Nigeria: Delta State High Court, sitting in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria has sentenced Mr Theophilus Nwachukwu and Mr Christopher Emeka Okoli to death by hanging. They were found guilty of five court charges, including conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and illegal possession.
According to the complaint filed by Mr Gabriel Adoghe and his wife, the defendants allegedly robbed them of Mrs. Adoghe’s Honda car while armed with a gun. The defendants were apprehended at a police checkpoint in Aladja, where Mr. Adoghe was found in the trunk of the car.
During the trial, the prosecution presented two victims and three policemen as witnesses, while the defendants testified in their defense but did not call any witnesses. After examining the available evidence, Justice R Harriman delivered the judgment on June 6, 2023, stating that the prosecution had proved all the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The prosecution counsel, Theophilus E. Omenuwoma Esq., an assistant director in the Ministry of Justice, expressed satisfaction with the judgment. He also advised the youth in the country to refrain from engaging in criminal activities and instead pursue meaningful endeavors that would lead to a peaceful and successful life. The defendants were sentenced to 7 years imprisonment for conspiracy, 10 years for kidnapping, 10 years for armed robbery (resulting in death by hanging), and 10 years for illegal possession.
