Five sentenced to die by hanging in Rivers for murder

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, has convicted and sentenced five persons to death by hanging for the murder of a staff member of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Anthony Okoro.

Okoro was kidnapped from his house in Woji area of Port Harcourt, on May, 2017, after being shot by the convicts.

Seven persons tried in connection with the crime were Oluchi Charles, Miracle Anumuna, Ifeanyi Simon, Koko Bassey, Chukwuemeka Etete and Anthony Ugwu.

Presiding Judge, George Omereji found five of them guilty but absolved two of the defendants.

Those convicted were Oluchi Charles, Miracle Anumuna, Ifeanyi Simon,  Koko Bassey and Uchendu Stanley Amaechi.

The suspects had on May 26, 2016 stormed Okoro’s Woji, Port Harcourt home, shooting him to death and taking away his body.

They were also said to have stolen a Range Rover vehicle, a Kia Optima, and television sets, among other items belonging to Okoro

Trial judge, George Omereji, upheld the submission of the prosecution that the convicts did indeed commit the crime.

They would be hanged by the neck until they died, the judge ruled.