A 23-year-old man, David Nwori, has been jailed for killing his father and setting his remains ablaze in Ebonyi State.
The deceased was said to have been suffering from an ailment for some time and his family members, including his children had been nursing him.
It was gathered that the 75-year-old victim, Onwe Nwori, had suffered a protracted illness by which he became bedridden for a long time.
David claimed he felt pity for other family members who had been taking care of the deceased for some years and decided to terminate his father’s life in order to save them from further troubles.
For him, his father whom he referred as being old, sick and bedridden had been “disturbing his family in Igweledoha Ishieke community of Ebonyi Local Government Area of the state.
THE POINT learnt that in the morning of August 5, 2021, David, who was said to be 20 years of age at that time, was left at home alone to take care of his father while all other members of the family left for their various farms and for some other activities of the day.
Instead of taking care of him, David reportedly macheted the septuagenarian to death.
It was gathered that the suspect bought the machete purposely to murder his father and that he committed the crime at about 4:00pm of that day.
He was accused of setting the remains of his father ablaze thereafter in his bid to cremate him.
Upon interrogation, the defendant confessed to have committed the offences and hinged his reason for the alleged patricide on the fact that the deceased was old and had been ill for a long time and as such, Onwe Nwori had subjected him and other members of the family to untold and unnecessary suffering and inconveniences.
He said his late father was also suffering during the ailment and that ending his life was also assisting him to escape more pains.
Consequently, David was arrested by the Police and charged to a High Court sitting in Abakaliki in a suit marked HAB/117c/2021.
The police accused him of murder; an offence it said contravenes Section 319(1) of the criminal code cap 33 volume 1 laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria 2009.
The trial judge, Justice Elvis Ngene who is also the Chief judge of Ebonyi State, having considered all merits of the matter, found David guilty as charged and sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour and without option of fine.
Justice Ngene stated that, “It is my view and I so hold that the defendant was not up to 17 years as at the date he killed his father, Onwe Nwori on the 5th day of August 2021 at Igweledoha Ishieke. In this circumstance, I answer issue number 3 in the affirmative.
“I have listened to the plea for mercy as made by the learned defence counsel.
Section 398 of the Ebonyi State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019 requires a defendant like the instant found guilty of a capital offence, not to be sentenced to death but in lieu thereof, to be sentenced to life imprisonment or to some other term as the court may deem appropriate in consideration to the principles in Section 392 of the said law.
“The said Section 392 of the Ebonyi State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2016 enjoined this court to take into consideration some factors stated therein which includes the period spent by the defendant in custody awaiting or undergoing trial.
“Having duly considered the factors, I hereby sentence the defendant, David Nwori to ten years imprisonment with hard labour without option of fine,” Ngene ordered.
