A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Friday has convicted and sentenced three people to death by hanging over the murder of a pharmacist.
The convicts are Confidence Kirinee, popularly called General Ilia, Precious Mona and Soniabari Sagha.
The court, presided over by Justice Augusta Chukwu, also convicted one Loveday Legah to life imprisonment for belonging to a secret cult group whose activities led to the murder of a pharmacist identified as Muenalo Sunday from Zaakpo community in Khana Local Government Area of the state.
Justice Chukwu convicted and sentenced the trio of Confidence Kirinee, Precious Mona and Soniabari Sagha to death by hanging for conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping, and murder of the pharmacist on 5th March 2019 in Zaakpo community, Khana LGA.
Justice Chukwu in her judgement held that the prosecution proved the case of conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping, and murder against Confidence Kirinee, popularly called General Ilia, Precious Mona and Soniabari Sagha, and a case of cultism against Loveday Legah.
The judge ruled that with confessional statements and evidence before the court, the suspects, who are members of the Iceland secret cult, actually conspired, kidnapped and murdered their victim, cut off his head and other sensitive organs and later dumped his remains inside a pit, while the head was taken to their shrine in a bush in a neighbouring community.
She held that while Loveday Legah should spend his entire life in prison, Confidence Kirinee, Precious Mona and Soniabari Sagha should be hanged by the neck until they are confirmed dead.
Counsel to the convicts declined to comment on the judgment. The prosecution counsel, speaking to newsmen, Chief State Counsel, Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu, commended the judge for a thorough job, which he described as proof of justice for both the dead and the living.
Ordu said, “The judgment today is a good one. We commend the judge for a thorough work. It has been a hectic one from when we started till date.
“We really thank God that the matter has come to an end. We have done our part and today the judge in her wisdom has convicted the four defendants for conspiracy, kidnapping, murder and cultism.
“It will restore hope to my client, who before now thought she would not get justice from the judiciary.”
He continued, “Today I’m sure she is happy and even the dead is also happy that justice has also been secured on his behalf, notwithstanding that he was brutally killed. He will also rest wherever he is today.”
On her part, the widow of the late pharmacist, who said she has sickle cell disease, Pretty Neewa-Sunday, expressed happiness over the judgment, which she said would allow the soul of her late husband to rest in peace.
She stated, “They have reaped what they sowed because they killed my husband who did not commit any offence.
“My pain is that I have sickle cell disease and only my husband knew how to care for me. Today I have become a widow that neither my husband nor I planned for.” (Punch)
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