A High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo state Capital yesterday, sentenced eight (8) persons to death by hanging for their involvement in the brutal murder of one Nze Dominic Ohamadiaku Duru, an ex-Police officer from Izombe in Oguta Local Government Area of the state.
High Court 7, Owerri, presided over by Hon. Justice C.M.I. Egole found the accused persons guilty of murder, following overwhelming evidence before it; even as it freed the ninth accused person-Sussana James Duru for having not actively participated in the dastardly act.
The convicted persons, who were all found guilty of first degree murder are: James Ugwuoha Duru, Fester Nuforo, Alexander Nnadi (Alias Apollo), Friday Nuforo, Jonathan Chuddy Nnadi, Chifoanu Okorie, Mattias Ohazurike and Evans Egbujor.
Delivering the landmark judgment in suit number: HOW/4C/2007, the presiding Judge analysed all the evidence before it and found eight, out of the nine accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder.
“You are to be hanged by your neck until you are drained of your life breath and you are dead and may God have mercy on your soul,” the judgment reads in part.
Investigations revealed that the freed Sussana James-Ugwuoha (wife of James Ugwuoha Duru) was linked to one of the murderers by marriage and although she is said to have accompanied her husband to the house of the deceased on the fateful day to lure him to the scene of the crime, she hadn’t actively participated in the dastardly act.
The accused was therefore freed and allowed to return home. All the condemned criminals were led away in handcuffs to a waiting Black Maria by armed security officials and prison guards.
It will be worthy to note that the matter that the matter has lingered for over seven years.
The problem started when the convicted persons conspired and murdered the deceased on the 3rd of March, 2005 following a protracted land matter and other sundry community issues.
According to available reports, the condemned persons had on the said day, lured the deceased to his farm land in a bush (Okpouzi) in the village where they laid siege for him and ended his life.
In an attempt to cover up their atrocity, the murderers earlier influenced the falsification of the autopsy conducted on the corpse of the deceased, alleging that he died of a natural cause. They had also touted a traditional story of the deceased being used for rituals; the diversionary steps never yielded fruits.
Following a Federal High Court ruling, the falsified autopsy was nullified and an independent autopsy ordered. The independent autopsy is said to have revealed the actual cause of the death of Nze Duru, having died as a result of “multiple homicidal injuries…”
Reacting to the judgment, first son of the deceased, Chief Emmanuel Duru described the ruling as victory for justice, even as he commended the Judiciary in the state for maintaining its status as the last hope of a common man.
Meanwhile, one of those sentenced to death have proceeded on Appeal.
