Ritual Killer: Ifeanyi Dike To Know Fate Soon As Counsels Present Final Written Address

The murder trial of Ifeanyi Dike and two others will soon come to end as counsels prepare to present final written address on 22 January after which there will be judgement in a case which sparked outrage over killing of an eight-year-old, Chikamso Victory Nmezuwuba.

First accused person in the case, Ifeanyi Dike, allegedly killed and removed body parts of the eight-year girl in Eliozu in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on 18 August, 2017.

On Wednesday’s hearing, presiding judge of Port-Harcourt High Court, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, adjourned the case to 22 January for adoption of final written address in which parties in the case will use final written address as final legal argument on the case and after that date will be chosen for judgement.

The first, second and third accused persons in the case are Ifeanyi Dike, Ugochukwu Nwamiro and Sergeant Johnbosco Okoroeze. They were all brought handcuffed to court on Wednesday in prison uniform. 

While lawyers for first and third accused persons were in court on Wednesday, lawyer for the second accused person was not in court.

There was no press interview with the lawyers after the sitting.

Ifeanyi Dike is being prosecuted for allegedly killing an eight-year-old girl, Chikamso Victory Nmezuwuba , and was said to have removed her body parts for alleged money ritual. He was said to have told police after his arrest that he was sent by second accused person in the case, Ugochukwu Nwamiro, to get body parts for money ritual.

The third accused person, Sergeant Johnbosco Okoroeze, is being prosecuted for allegedly helping first accused person to escape while taking him to cell at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Port-Harcourt, and was dismissed from Nigeria Police Force.

However, Dike was rearrested in Jos, Plateau State after Rivers State Police Command had put N1million bounty on his head.

Policemen attached to the Okporo Police Division arrested Ifeanyi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Dike on 19 August, 2017 as he was going to dispose body of his victim. He was arraigned before Justice Adolphus Enebeli of Port-Harcourt High Court but the state government later took over prosecution of the case from Rivers State Police Command.

In interview, father of the eight-year-old, Mr Ernest Nmezuwuba, demanded justice for the death of his daughter.

The mother of the eight-year-old girl, Mrs Lucy Nmezuwuba, also said in an interview she wants justice for the death of her daughter.

She said she saw her daughter was missing that Friday, 18 August, 2017 when she did not come back to her shop after she left to use convenience at home.

She said her daughter was a genius and wanted to become ballet dancer with international fame.