Three Police Officers given life sentences over murder case

Three fired police officers have been given life sentences by an Anambra State High Court in Onitsha.

The court gave the decision after supposedly finding Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor, and Raphael Chike, who used to work as security guards, guilty of murder.

A 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state was killed by the former corps.

The event took place at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area on May 14, 2016. The cops involved were fired from the Nigerian Police Force after the event, which happened in the Onitsha Judicial Division.

On Wednesday, Justice A.O. Okuma of the Anambra court said that the prosecution had proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt. This meant that the people who were charged with plot and murder were found guilty.

Parts 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended, are broken by these charges.

All three suspects were found guilty and given jail terms of seven years for plot and life sentences for murder. With permission from the Anambra State Attorney General, Trulaw Chambers and their lead lawyer, C.J. Okeke, took care of the case.

When Okeke, the prosecutor, heard the decision, he called it another victory and a clear sign that justice wins when people have good lawyers on their side.

G.A. Oluwatuase, the lawyer for the first suspect, said that he planned to appeal the decision on behalf of his client.

At the same time, the lawyers for the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the ruling to figure out what to do next.