A High Court sitting in Delta State has sentenced Onuwa Ijie to death and Nwanozie Uzor to 14 years in prison for murder and conspiracy to commit murder of twin boys Chidalu and Chigozie Agwunobi for ritual purposes.
Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro presided over the sentencing of two murderers of seven-year-old boys.
Mrs. Paula Akpoguma, a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Justice, led the prosecution, which called five witnesses as evidence in the case
The court found that the evidence incontrovertibly established the guilt of the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.
The tragic events unfolded on March 5, 2020, in the Oko-Ogbele Community when the defendants lured the young boys into a bush. There, they committed a gruesome act, severing the boys’ penises, eyes, tongues, and hands, which they then took to a native doctor in Aguleri, Anambra State.
The prosecution revealed that one of the defendants had previously attempted to take the boys from their school but was stopped by a vigilant teacher, Mrs. Emelda Ezekwude.
In his judgment, Justice Marshal-Umukoro highlighted the critical role of the first defendant, whose confessional statement indicated that he instigated the crime by introducing the second defendant to a man seeking twins for ritual killings.
The court also upheld the validity of the testimony provided by the investigating police officer, dismissing any claims of it being hearsay.
Following the verdict, prosecuting counsel Mrs. Akpoguma expressed her gratitude for the court’s decision, underscoring the importance of the judicial system in delivering justice. “This judgment reaffirms that the judicial system works,” she stated, reflecting on the court’s commitment to upholding justice in the face of such brutal crimes.