An Anambra State High Court in the commercial city of Onitsha has convicted and sentenced three ex police officers to life in prison for the murder of a 42-year-old man named Chukwunonso Uchenwoke from Mbosi in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects were believed to have killed the victim while arresting him for suspected assault and malicious damage.
The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state, and within the Onitsha Judicial Division.
Following the sad incident, the ex-police officers named Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor, and Raphael Chike were said to have been dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.
The accused were found guilty of conspiracy and murder charges brought against them, which are against Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991 as amended, according to the court, which was presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday. The prosecution counsel proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Following their convictions, the three of them received life sentences for manslaughter and seven years in jail for conspiracy. Trulaw Chambers prosecuted the case using the Anambra State Attorney General's fiat through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke Esq.
Reacting to the judgement, the Prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a subtle reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.
The counsel for the first defendant, G.A Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgement for his client, just as the counsel for the second defendant, C.E Ezenwa Esq. while that of the third defendant, C.J Agbata, said they needed a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.
