Rivers Court Sentences Man To Death By Hanging For Murder

By Obinna Nwaoku, Port Harcourt

Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced and convicted a man identified as Bestman Lekia, Alias Bggie to death by hanging for killing four people and using their intestines to prepare a meal in a community in Khana Local Government Area of the state.

Lekia and others now at large were reported to have killed Gbodu Nobaale, Etim Ekpe, Nenalebarri Mmeabe, and Loveday Mmeabe who was first kidnapped and taken to another place where his intestines were used to prepare plantain meal in Okwalie community in Khana area in 2019.

The trial Judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli in his judgment found Lekia guilty of murder, kidnapping, cultism, and armed robbery, stating that the prosecution counsel proved his case with the necessary evidence and presentations.

Justice Enebeli said even the attitude of Lekia throughout his trial proved that he is a hardened criminal, cultist, and terror who If possible, is supposed to be hung four times and die four times, thereby he ruled that the defendant should be hung on his neck until he is confirmed dead.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen, the state prosecution counsel, Chidi Ekeh described the judgment as a “hard-nosed” and erudite judgment that will save the Ogoni community and Rivers State at large.

Ekeh said although he is not happy that somebody’s life will be taken away but insisted that the law and state would have failed if they had allowed the convict to go free without facing justice.

He was charged and tried for the offence of murder, the death of four different persons, armed robbery, burglary, cultism, and conspiracy.

He said: “He(Lekia) was the only one arrested. His cohorts disappeared and are still at large today.

“The court has delivered its judgment convicting him and sentencing him to death by hanging until he is confirmed dead.

“As a human being, I do not take delight in the fact that he is going to die, but I feel happy that the law and the state did not fail the people. The law and state would have failed if they had allowed this man to go scot-free. Yes, human life will be gone but society will feel better that the law has been able to take out a threat from them.”

However, the defence counsel, N O Megwari declined to comment on the judgment.

Source: The Guardian