Nearly eight years after the gruesome murder of Delta State University (DELSU) undergraduate, Elozino Ogege, a Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku has sentenced two men to death by hanging, bringing one of the state’s most shocking homicide cases to a legal conclusion.
Justice Ngozi Azinge, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, convicted Macaulay Oghenemaro and Enike Onoriode for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of the 300-level Mass Communication student, whose killing in November 2018 sparked widespread public outrage.
The prosecution had initially arraigned five suspects in 2019 on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and murder.
However, two of the defendants died during the course of the trial, leaving three persons to face judgment.
After evaluating the evidence presented before the court, Justice Azinge held that the prosecution failed to establish a case against Benedict Uche, a security guard, and accordingly discharged and acquitted him of all charges.
The court, however, found the evidence against Oghenemaro and Onoriode overwhelming, convicting them on four counts, including kidnapping and murder.
In addition to prison terms ranging from seven years to life imprisonment on separate counts, both men were sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of Elozino Ogege.
The prosecution described the judgment as a landmark victory against ritual-related killings and violent crimes, expressing hope that it would serve as a strong deterrent to others involved in similar criminal acts.
For the family of the late Elozino Ogege, the verdict offers long-awaited justice after years of emotional trauma and prolonged court proceedings.
Speaking after his acquittal, Benedict Uche expressed gratitude to the court for clearing his name, saying he looked forward to reuniting with his wife and three children after years of living under the weight of the allegations.
The two convicted men have been returned to the Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre, where they will remain pending the determination of any appeal and the execution of the court’s sentence.
