A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced five people to death by hanging.
The court also gave an alternative punishment for the convicts to be injected with leather injection until they are confirmed dead for the murder of OSPAC commander of Omudioga community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, UMEZURUIKE ALEX.
The convicts include OKECHUKWU ORJI from Atali community in Obio-Akpor, IGWE PROMISE, IHEANYI IGWE
MORRISON IGWE all from Omudioga in Emohua Local Government Area and GOODNESS MONDAY from Akwa Ibom
They were found guilty of ten counts charge of conspiracy, cultism, murder and illegal possession of firearms.
The trial Judge, Justice SIKA APRIOKU in his judgment, discharge and acquitted the sixth defendant in the suit, ALEX DEIWE.
Justice APRIOKU held that the prosecution counsel, ESSEIN EDET proved his case against the other five convicts on charges of conspiracy, cultism, illegal possession of firearms and murder and therefore convicted and sentenced them by hanging or should be administered leather injection until they are confirmed dead
The court also held that the convicts did not only murder the OSPAC commander Omudioga community but were also involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities in parts of the state before their arrest and commencement of prosecution.
