Murder Trial: Witness Testifies Alleged Serial Killer Took Belongings Of  His Victims

A witness told Port-Harcourt High Court on Friday that alleged serial killer, Gracious David West, took belongings of his victims after he had killed them.

The prosecution witness, Sergeant Ogbomudia Emegbokuro, who testified before the court presided by Justice Adolphus Enebeli said that David West took handbags, phones, jewelry and cash from his victims after allegedly killing them.

He said the accused threatened his victims with kitchen knife and got their ATM passwords with which he withdrew money from their accounts.

He said the accused used same pattern in killing his victims  – tying and strangling them to death.

Sergeant Emegbokuro said these when he gave his findings from investigation conducted by Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

He said the accused serial killer took life of more than one victim in some hotels in Oyigbo and Port-Harcourt adding the suspect actually killed his victims.

He said autopsy was carried out on four of those killed.

The prosecution witness said the accused serial killer identified those he killed numbering 7.

He said he took them to various hotels he lodged and rooms he stayed naming some of the hotels to include Ivory Hotel, Oyigbo, TN Hotel, Wimpey, Egu Hotel, Rumuola, Pachik Hotel, SARS Road, Lasuit Hotel, Omoku and Torox Hotel in Port-Harcourt.

 He said police photographer took shot of all the victims.

The prosecution witness said police team stopped vehicle the accused serial killer was travelling and arrested him on his way to Akwa Ibom State. He said he was interrogated after the arrest and he confessed to killing his victims.

The witness said David West was brought to Commissioner of Police and was interrogated adding the police commissioner referred the case to SARS for further investigation.

Sergeant Emegbokuro identified confessional statement by David West made at SARS Office.

Principal State counsel, Chidi Ekeh, led the witness in chief and tendered documents related to the case and were admitted in evidence.

Lawyers for first and second accused persons were in court on Friday.

 David West, first accused in the case, was brought handcuffed to court on Friday and the handcuffs were only removed when his case was mentioned.

The second accused person, Nimi ThankGod, who was dressed in a white blouse, was also in court on Friday.

David West told court confessional statement shown to him was his.

The accused faces murder charges for allegedly killing different women in hotels in Port-Harcourt and other cities in Nigeria.

When the nine counts of murder and one count of attempted murder charge were read to him in court at pervious hearing he had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Second accused person similarly pleaded not guilty to the charge of misconduct with corpse and was granted bail.

David West earlier pleaded guilty to nine counts of murder and not guilty to one count of attempted murder.

The government of Rivers State took over the case from the Rivers State Police Command which prosecuted the matter.

The judge adjourned to 17 January.