A Port Harcourt High Court presided by Justice C. K. Dappa Addo has sentenced a middle-aged man, Chimezie Onwusor Oneakwe to seven years imprisonment for the alleged conspiracy and murder of a student.
The prosecution had alleged that Chimezie Onwusor Oneakwe Bobo Amadi and Aruchi in March 2010 conspired and murdered Victor Wordu, a student at Amator Junction, Ozuzu Etche.
Though all the accused persons had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges, the judge found the first accused Chimezie, guilty on the charge of conspiracy and therefore sentenced him accordingly.
The prosecuting state counsel, Mr Chijioke Boms had during the trial called seven witnesses who gave evidence as to the roles played by all the accused persons in the alleged death of the deceased.
Barrister Boms noted in his submission to the court that the witnesses had by their evidence in court proved beyond reasonable doubt that all the accused persons were liable to the charges and the accused persons on all the charges.
In her judgement, the judge held that the second accused, Bobo, had no case. To answer and thereby discharged and acquitted him on all the charges, while the others discharged on the count of murder were found guilty on the charge of conspiracy.
The first accused person, Chimezie was consequently convicted to seven years in prison, while the third accused Aruchi who absconded few days to the judgement was placed on suspended sentence and issued a bench warrant for his re-arrest and his surety remanded in prison custody pending when he is found and brought to court.