A High Court sitting at Asaba, the Delta State capital, has sentenced one Onuwa Ijie to death, and Nwanozie Uzor to 14 years imprisonment for murder and conspiracy to commit the murder of twin boys, Chidalu and Chigozie Agwunobi.
The court presided over by Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro sentenced two convicts over the murder of the seven-year-old boys.
The prosecution conducted by a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Paula Akpoguma, in proof of the case called five witnesses.
The court held that the testimony of the five witnesses proved the case against the two defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The prosecution stated that tragedy struck the family of Olise Agwunobi of Oko-Ogbele Community on March 5, 2020, when their seven-year-old twin boys were lured by the defendants to a bush and they proceeded to cut off their penis, eyes, tongues and hands which they hurriedly took to a native doctor at Aguleri in Anambra State.
“One of the defendants had earlier gone to the school of the twin children to take them but was turned down by the school teacher, one Mrs. Emelda Ezekwude,” she said.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Marshal-Umukoro stated that after carefully evaluating the evidence presented before him, the prosecution had discharged the burden of proof as the first defendant from his confessional statement was the person who sowed the seed of committing human rituals in the mind of the second defendant by giving the phone number of one Chukwudi Edemuzor who was alleged to be searching for twins to kill for money.
The court maintained that the law is settled that the testimony of an investigating police officer was not hearsay evidence, and the court can rely on it.
Speaking with journalists after the judgment on Tuesday, the prosecuting counsel, Akpoguma thanked the court for upholding the cause of justice, “reaffirming that the judicial system works.”
Delta Chief Judge reviews 215 cases in Kwale Correctional Centre
In another development, the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Theresa Diai, has reviewed 215 cases of inmates in Kwale Correctional Centre.
Justice Diai made this known on Tuesday during her visit to the correctional facility in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the state.
She said, “While reviewing cases, a total of 244 cases were listed but due to the conclusion of some of the cases of the inmates or their release on bail, only 215 cases of inmates were actually reviewed.
“Out of the 215 warrants reviewed, no inmates were released, and none was granted bail as their cases were ongoing before the various courts.”
Diai commended all stakeholders for their efforts, particularly the office of the DPP, stating that without the input of the DPP’s office, the trial of the cases would not have moved so swiftly at the courts.
In his remarks, the Delta State Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Omamuzo Erebe applauded the painstaking and diligent manner in which the Chief Judge reviewed the individual inmate’s cases.
Erebe also advised youths to abstain from crime for their own good and avoid actions that may lead them to be inmates of a correctional centre.
“I was also impressed with the staff of the Ministry of Justice for their diligence in ensuring that witnesses were brought to Court to give evidence.
“Most of the cases have gotten to the judgement stage, it was an indication that the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2022 is working in the State” he said.
The Solicitor General also commended stakeholders in the Administration of Criminal Justice for their commitment to ensuring the success of the exercise.
