An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has convicted and sentenced three former police officers to life imprisonment for killing a 42-year-old man identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke. The deceased hailed from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area.
The accused persons were accused of killing the man while trying to arrest him over an alleged assault and malicious damage.
The offence was said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area and the Onitsha Judicial Division.
After the incident, the ex-police officers, namely Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to have been dismissed from the Police Force.
The court presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the prosecution counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt, and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended.
The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.
Trulaw Chambers, through her principal counsel C.J. Okeke, prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.
Reacting to the judgment, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.
The counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment on behalf of his client.
However, counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the judgment to determine their next line of action.
