NIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES THREE TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR MURDER OF EX-NIGER DELTA AGITATOR

June 8, 2020:

Three persons, Dougbra Ogbe, Emmanuel Gladstone, Bere Matthew, have been sentenced to death by hanging by a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt for the murder of ex-Niger Delta agitator, Soboma George and a groundnut seller, Joy John-Ejims, The Vanguard reported on 4 June 2020.
The three suspects were convicted of the three counts bordering on conspiracy and murder of George and John-Ejims preferred against them after murder of the duo in 2010.
Justice George Omereji, in his judgement, having convicted the defendants on the three charges, condemned them to death by hanging, directing that they be tied on their neck till they are confirmed dead. Omereji ruled that the prosecution was able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubts, especially with the evidence of an eyewitness, Emmanuel Eniete, who was also a victim.
He said evidence and testimonies of the witness proved that the defendants actually committed the crime as charged. Omereji pointed out that among other confessional statements by the defendants, the confessional statement that they killed George because he wanted to kill them after they refused kill the former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi and then Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, further indicted them. However, the prosecution counsel, Ipalibo Karibo-Botoye, after the proceeding, expressed happiness that ten years Prosecution, justice had come to stay, noting that he is ready to defend his case further at appeal court.