Crime
Ebonyi: Murdered chief laid to rest (PHOTOS)
The remains of a 78-year-old man in Ekoli community, Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Chief Johnson Okoro Obasi, murdered by suspected political thugs, have been committed to Mother Earth.
Obasi was said to have been attacked by the political thugs in the community on 1st June this year during the crisis between two rival groups in the area which led to the death of some members of the community with property worth millions of naira destroyed.
Autopsy conducted on his body indicated that the man died as a result of internal bleeding and bruises he sustained when he was attacked.
At the weekend, he was buried inside his house in the community amidst tears and tributes.
In his own tribute, his nephew, Dr Eni Uduma Chima, lamented his killing and urged him to avenge it.
Chima, a former House of Assembly member and former Chairman of the local government, said the deceased would have lived longer than his age if his killers did not send him to the untimely grave.
He disclosed that longevity runs in the family which accounted why some members of the family lived more than 100 years and wondered why his life was cut short.
“Your years on earth were brutally cut short by agents of darkness, even though you belonged to a stock in which longevity is taken for granted—the ‘Ibe Eze Nta Aja’ family.
“I shall not dwell on the sorrow of your forced exit, because I know that you are on your way back.
“You delivered the right message to ‘Ali Manu’. While you were still in a parley in the spirit world, assassination attempts were made on your beloved ones.
“Perhaps through your intercession, the presence there that your absence here availed your loved ones prevailed.
“We mourn you in vigilance because your killers and their sponsors are still roaming free, showing neither sobriety nor remorse, fearing neither the laws of God nor the laws of men.
“Now, take up your sword in the spirit world and go after your killers and their sponsors,” he said.
He described his uncle as a man blessed in many aspects—good looks, strength and vigour, sound health, procreation, family life, sound mind, and great vision.
Traditional rulers of the community lamented his killing by those they described as politicians and evil men.
One of them, Etta Egor Akanu, alleged that those arrested for killing some members of the community have been freed, thereby causing disquiet in the area.
“Politicians sent their thugs to beat up Okoro Obasi and he died as a result of the attack. These politicians are evil men who don’t want the community to be in peace, they are the ones who killed Okoro Obasi.
“He was killed by catcham boys who have been terrorising our community and they know themselves.
“I am very happy that Okoro Obasi’s body was taken for autopsy and results showed that he died as a result of the attack by these thugs.
“I would have been angry with Eni Uduma Chima if he didn’t agree to take Okoro Obasi’s body for the autopsy. But since he agreed and the body was taken for autopsy and results showed that he died as a result of the attack, I am very happy and I am not angry with Eni Uduma Chima.
“Government should stop releasing all these people causing trouble in our community. Some persons were arrested for killing another member of the community, Nnachi Uzor, and they were released from prison custody a month after being remanded by the court.
“These people are back terrorising our community, there is disquiet in our community and all the things that were recommended during a peaceful meeting of stakeholders of our community and Governor Francis Nwifuru for lasting peace in our community, none of them have been done.
“What we are rather seeing is increase in the harassment, intimidation and fear in our community by these thugs,” he said.
Another traditional ruler, Thomas Ama, who also expressed sadness over the killing of Thomas Okoro Obasi, recommended immediate implementation of all the recommendations made during the community stakeholders meeting with Governor Francis Nwifuru to return normalcy to the troubled community.
He alleged that a particular group is still parading arms with which they use to terrorise members of the community against the Governor’s directive that every group must lay down arms.
Crime
PHOTOS: Nigerian man sentenced to d3ath in Malaysia for m8rder of his 4-year-old step-grandson
A Nigerian man has been sentenced to d3ath after being convicted of m8rdering his four-year-old step-grandson in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
LIB reported that Ibekwe Emeka Augustine threw the child from the third floor of an apartment building on Sunday, November 29, 2020 after he failed to rape his stepdaughter, who is the victim’s mother. Read other reports HERE and HERE
High Court judge K. Muniandy sentenced Ibekwe, 48, to d3ath on Friday, January 9, 2025 after finding him guilty of m8rder, ruling that the prosecution had proven the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
“You are sentenced to death by hanging until you are d3ad. However, you have the right to appeal against the sentence at the Court of Appeal,” the judge said.
Moments before the sentence was passed, Augustine, handcuffed and dressed in a white T-shirt and black trousers, pleaded for leniency.
“I regret everything that happened, and it will not happen again. I remember going swimming and playing football with him. Please have mercy on me. Everything is in your hands,” he said.
Augustine appeared solemn as he was led out of the courtroom. An interpreter was present throughout the proceedings.
He was charged in 2020 with m8rdering the boy between 7.45am and 8.15am at an apartment unit in Setapak on Nov 29, 2020, which carries the d3ath penalty or a jail term between 30 and 40 years upon conviction.
In addition to the m8rder conviction, Augustine was sentenced to one year for one count of attempted suicide, five years for s3xually assaulting his then 25-year-old stepdaughter, five years for attempted m8rder of his son, then aged 7; and 14 years for causing grievous hurt to his wife, then 48, who suffered a broken hip.
Muniandy ordered that all jail sentences run concurrently, which is 14-years, from Augustine’s arrest on Nov 29, 2020.
“All these inhumane and despicable acts of the accused could have been stopped as the accused’s wife attempted to do so, but the accused persisted even after grievously injuring her.
“The victims were all traumatised by the entire incident and had to run away from the home before anything more dreadful was inflicted on them.
“Then they found the grandchild dead on the ground as he was thrown away mercilessly by the accused, who then attempted suicide.
“Such conduct cannot be excused on the grounds of self-intoxication with drugs or his attempt to end his own life,” he said.
In mitigation, defence counsel Zulkifli Awang argued that his client should be spared the death penalty, saying the murder was not premeditated and that his client was not a hardened criminal incapable of rehabilitation.
“The facts show that his actions were due to schizophrenia and that he was of unsound mind, although the court had ruled that self-intoxication is not a defence.
“But I want to stress that what occurred was due to his insanity, due to drug consumption.
“He has been in remand since his arrest, and he is repentant. Imprisonment would be a more appropriate sentence. It is not necessary to take another life,” he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Zaileen Nadia Zubir urged the court to impose the death penalty, stating that Augustine had admitted to committing the acts due to prolonged consumption of drugs and not schizophrenia.
“He dangled the child by the leg outside the window before throwing him out, an act witnessed by the boy’s mother.
“He had admitted that it happened because of drugs and not because of schizophrenia, and he heard voices.
“He knew his actions were wrong and apologised,” she said.
The trial began in January 2024 and concluded in December the same year, with testimony from 22 prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses, who were Augustine himself and consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Ian Lloyd Anthony.
After the proceedings, Zulkifli said a notice of appeal against the d3ath sentence would be filed.
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