A high court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has sentenced a second year student of Physics department at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Ifeanyi Dike, and one Ugochukwu Nwamiro, to death by hanging for the murder of an eight-year-old girl, Victory Chikamso Nmezuwuba.
The duo were sentenced to death without an option of fine. One is to be hung by his neck until he dies while the other is to be hung on the leg till he dies as well, The Guardian Reports.
Dike, who was aged 23 years when the incident happened in 2017, was apprehended by a local vigilance group in Eliozu axis of Port Harcourt with a sack containing Chikamso’s body following a tip-off. The local security outfit later handed Dike over to the police for further investigations and prosecution.
He (Dike) reportedly removed the victim’s eyes, vagina, finger and tongue, after defiling and murdering her with the assistance of his cousin, Ugochukwu.
Few days after he was handed over to the police, Dike escaped from the premises of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), with the aid of a police personnel on duty, Sgt Johnbosco Okoronze, who failed to handcuff the suspect after he had finished writing his statement.
Dike’s escape raised severe criticisms and condemnation for the police laxity even as the then Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, described it as unfortunate and an embarrassment to the police force.
Some weeks later, Dike was however rearrested in Jos, Plateau State capital by security operatives and was brought back to Port Harcourt for trial. During trial, the police prosecutor, Sgt. Blessing Oheyen, tendered the body parts of the victim as evidence to the court.
Barely three years after trial commenced, the judge, Justice Adolphus Enebele, ruled that the evidences before the court showed that the duo conspired and murdered Chimkamso and hence, sentenced them to death.
The judge also sentenced Sergeant Johnbosco Okoronze of the State CID to one year imprisonment for aiding the escape of Dike from police custody.
Family of the victim, Chikamso, expressed relief on the judgment while relatives of Dike were seen in court weeping after the judgment was passed.
