A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday convicted and sentenced to death, five persons by hanging or with leather injection until they are confirmed dead for the murder of the commander of OSPAC(Local Vigilante), Alex Umezuruike in Omudioga community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
Okechukwu Orji from Atali community in Obio-Akpor, Igwe Promise, Iheanyi Igwe, Morrison Igwe all from Omudioga in Emohua Local Government Area, and Goodness Monday from Akwa Ibom were found guilty of 10 count charges of conspiracy, cultism, murder and illegal possession of firearms.
The trial Judge, Justice Sika Aprioku in his judgment, discharged and acquitted the sixth defendant in the suit, Alex Deiwe.
Justice Aprioku held that the prosecution counsel, Essein Edet was able to prove his case against the other five convicts on charges of conspiracy, cultism, illegal possession of firearms, and murder and therefore convicted and sentenced them by hanging or should be administered leather injection until they were dead.
The court also held that the convicts did not only murder the OSPAC commander but were also involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities in parts of the state before their arrest and commencement of prosecution.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, the prosecution counsel, Essein Edet who is the Officer in charge of legal annex DFA, Rivers State Police command, expressed joy over the judgment which he described as justice well served while adding that it will also serve as deterrent to others who are involved in such crimes.
Recall that in 2021, Umezuruike Alex was killed, beheaded and his body dismembered by cultists for fighting against criminal activities in the area.
