A Delta State high court has sentenced a farmer, Mr. Chukwutem Eke to death by hanging by, having been found guilty of beheading a 15-year old boy for ritual purposes. He was said to have been contracted by a pastor of a certain white garment church to commit the act for ritual purposes.
A statement signed by Mr. A.P. Disi on behalf of the State Director said, “pursuant to efforts of the Delta State command of the Service in addressing the problem of kidnapping and threat of life of members of the public, so far in 2012, eight persons have been convicted in court out of the numerous cases being investigated by the command”.
Sentencing the farmer to death, Justice Theresa Diai stated that “having found Chukwutem Eke guilty for the murder of Chukwudi Ossai, I hereby sentence you to death that you be hung by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on your soul”.
Prosecution led by Mr. O.F. Enenmo had told the court that the convict, Eke, a native of Ogume in Ndokwa West local government area of the State attacked the deceased and his sister Ossai Onuwa with a cutlass while they were weeding their father’s farm at Olor-Ogwashi within Ogwashi-Uku judicial division, on 30th of November 2008. It added that while the sister succeeded in escaping the boy was overpowered and beheaded.
The trial judge in her judgment, said that prosecution successfully established the ingredients of murder against Chukwutem Eke and sentenced him to death by hanging.
