The five killers of Mr. Umezuruike Alex, the slain commander of ONELGA Security Planning and Advisory Committee (OSPAC) in Rivers State are to die by hanging or through lethal injection, a Rivers State High Court has ruled.
Umezuruike was gruesomely murdered in 2021 and beheaded by the convicts at Omudioga Community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
The convicts were members of a cult group alleged to be terrorising the community. They had killed the vigilante and dismembered his body over his stands against criminal activity in the area.
The convicts are Okechukwu Orji from Atali Community, Obio/Akpor LGA, Igwe Promise, Iheanyi Igwe, Morrison Igwe from Omudioga in Emohua LGA, and Goodness Monday from Akwa Ibom.
Delivering judgement on the case on Monday, trial Judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, convicted and sentenced five of the six suspects to death by hanging or by lethal injection until they are confirmed dead.
The convicts were found guilty on the ten count-charges bothering on conspiracy, cultism, murder and illegal possession of firearms preferred against them by the Rivers police command.
Justice Aprioku, in his judgment, however, discharged and acquitted the sixth defendant in the suit, Alex Deiwe.
Justice Aprioku ruled that the prosecution counsel, Essein Edet, proved his case against the five on conspiracy, cultism, illegal possession of firearms and murder.
The court further held that the convicts did not only murder the Omudioga OSPAC commander, but that they were also involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities in parts of the state.
