NIGERIA: SUPREME COURT OKAYS OKEKE FOR EXECUTION

January 22, 2016: The Supreme Court upheld the judgment of a Lagos High Court sentencing a man, Nonso Okeke to death for murder of one Chinwe Ofomatu on October 28, 2004. The Appeal Court in Lagos had earlier affirmed the judgment of the lower court. Okeke was convicted by the Lagos High Court on April 13, 2010 for the offence of conspiracy to commit murder and murder of Ofomatu at her residence in House 18, A Close, Road 403, Festac Town. He was found guilty of the allegations, convicted and sentenced to death by the Court. Specifically, Okeke was convicted and sentenced to death by the trial court for conspiracy and murder contrary to Sections 324 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Act Cap 17, Laws of Lagos State, 2003. Dissatisfied, Okeke approached the Court of Appeal in Lagos and asked that the judgment of the lower court be upturned. But the appeal failed as the appellate court dismissed the application. Again, Okeke took his case before the Supreme Court in Abuja and asked that the judgments of the lower courts be upturned. While arguing the case before the apex court, the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem had urged the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the judgments of the lower courts.
Kazeem, who was represented by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Idowu Alakija and Mr Justin Jacobs had argued that the appeal was devoid of merit, and ought to be dismissed. In its judgment, the apex court upheld the arguments canvassed by the State Government, and held that the appeal of Nonso Okeke lacked merit. The court, in the lead judgment delivered by Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammed thereafter dismissed the appeal and upheld the decision of the lower courts. (Sources: starconnectmedia.com, 23/01/2016)