Ebonyi state high court, Ohaukwu Judicial Division, has sentenced Ohaukwu council boss’s cousin and three others to death by hanging for the murder of a 26-year-old Chinoso Elom at his shop.

As reported by Premium Times on Friday, May 16, the convicted persons were Anthony Elom (a.k.a Tidy), Chibueze Onwe, Chukwuemeka Ugah (a.k.a Parity) and Uchenna Odono.

Uchenna is a younger brother to the chairperson of Ohaukwu local government area (LGA), Ikechukwu Odono.

The Nigerian Tribune also noted the development.

4 sentenced to death for murder in Ebonyi

This news platform gathered that the four convicted persons, on February 5, 2023, drove a Sienna vehicle branded with a campaign image and belonging to a known political party in Ebonyi state.

The convicts, who were in the vehicle in the company of a certain ThankGod Onwe, headed to Ndulo Umuogudu Akpu Road in the area before stopping in front of the late Chinonso’s business area, near Okwo Ngbo main market.

Witnesses said the five men who were believed to be members of a cult group demanded that their victim, Chinonso Elom, must provide information on the whereabouts of his younger brother whom they reportedly had a misunderstanding with.

Since Chinonso was unable to provide such information, they attempted to drag him into the Sienna vehicle. When he refused to enter the Sienna vehicle, Anthony Elom, one of the five men, shot him in the head and he died instantly.

Judge delivers judgment on Ebonyi killing

Delivering the judgment, Justice Esther Otah of the Abakaliki high court, Ohaukwu division, noted that the evidence provided by the prosecuting counsel including the eye-witnesses' accounts proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused were responsible for the killing of the said Chinonso Elom, stressing that the defence of the defendants was not enough to exonerate them from the crime.

She added that a forensic check on the gun later recovered from the killers also indicated that it was used last on February 5, 2023.

The judge declared:

“Anthony Elom a.k.a Tidy, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul”. Chibueze Onwe a.k.a “Chief oo, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul”. Chukwuemeka Ugah a.k.a Parity, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul”. “Uchenna Odono, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul."