Court sentences Uniport student to death over murder of eight -year-old girl

A High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced a second-year student of Physics department, University of Port Harcourt, Ifeanyi Dike and one Ugochukwu Nwamiro to death by hanging over the murder of an eight-year-old girl, Victory Chikamso Nmezuwuba.

The duo was sentenced to death without options of fine. One is to be hung on his neck until he dies while the other is to be hung on the leg till he dies as well.

Dike, who was 23 years old when the incident happened in 2017, was apprehended by a local vigilante group in the Eliozu axis of Port Harcourt with a sack containing Chikamso’s remains following a tip-off. The local security outfit later handed Dike over to the police for further investigations and prosecution.

He (Dike) reportedly removed the victim’s eyes, vagina, finger and tongue, after defiling and murdering her with the assistance of his cousin, Ugochukwu.

Few days after he was handed over to the police, Dike escaped from the premises of the State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID), with the aid of the police personnel on duty, Sgt Johnbosco Okoronze who failed to handcuff the suspect after he had finished writing his statement.

Dike’s escape raised serious criticism and condemnation on the police even as the then Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, described it as unfortunate and an embarrassment to the police force, adding that such mistake resulted due to an individual’s negligence.

Few weeks later, Dike was however rearrested in Jos,plateau state capital by security operatives and was brought back to Port Harcourt for trial.

During trials of the case, the police prosecutor, Sgt. Blessing Oheyen tendered the body parts of the victim as evidence to the court.

Barely, three years after the trial, the Judge, Justice Adolphus Enebele, ruled that the evidence before the court shows that the duo conspired and murdered Chimkamso and hence, sentenced them to death.

The judge also sentenced Sergeant Johnbosco Okoronze of the State CID to one-year imprisonment for aiding the escape of Dike from Police Custody in PortHarcourt.

Family of the victim, Chikamso expressed relief on the judgement while relatives of Dike were seen in court weeping after the judgement.

(Guardian)