Two men identified as Valentine Umezinwa and Emeka Okolonji were on Wednesday, February 9, sentenced to death by Justice D.A. Onyefulu of the Onitsha High Court for killing a sex worker, Blessing Eze.
They were arrested and arraigned in court for luring, killing and dumping Eze’s corpse around the DMGS axis of Onitsha.
Justice Onyefulu passed judgement on the case after listening to the cross-examination by the state counsel, N.S. Emeka, and the responses from prison officials, who testified to the good conduct of the convicts in correctional facilities.
After sentencing the two men to death, the high court judge stated that their counsel had the option of appeal through the committee on the prerogative of mercy. She also said the state governor has the final say on the matter.
The judge said:
“The counsel has not shown enough reason why justice should be tempered with mercy.”
While Counsel for the state maintained that justice had been served in the matter, the defence counsel, C. C. Okeke said he received the judgment with an open heart, adding that his team would appeal the ruling.
