A Nigerian High Court at Owerri condemned to death...

A Nigerian High Court at Owerri condemned to death by hanging seven men standing trial before it in connection with the beheading of an 11 year-old boy, Ikechukwu Okonkwo, at the Otokoto Hotel near Owerri in 1996.
Justice Chioma Uzoma Nwosu-Iheme, in a three-hour judgment that brought to an end more than six years of legal battle on the matter, sentenced to death the owner of the Otokoto Hotel Chief Vincent Duru; Chief Leonard Unogu; Alban Ajaegbu, Samson Nnamito, Lawrence Eboh, Rufus Anyanwu and Ebenezer Egunekwe.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme said the evidence of the prosecution had proved and exposed the wickedness of a syndicate whose major pre-occupation was to kill people at will in the hotel. "This case is a typical evidence that the truth is like oil. No matter the amount of water poured on it, it will float", the judge said.
The defendants were charged under Section 2191 of the Criminal Code.
Giving a methodical account of how the prosecution established its case and interrogation, the judge explained that the arrest of the prime suspect in the matter, Innocent Ekeanyanwu, led to the arrest of Chief Unogu in Lagos and opened a fresh chapter in the investigation.
"It has been proved by the prosecution that the actions of two of the suspects? Alban Ajaegbu and Samson Nnamito first and second accused? aided the murder; the third, fourth and fifth; Ebenezer Egunekwe, Rufus Anyanwu and Lawrence Eboh conspired in the murder while the sixth and seventh Chiefs Leonard Unogu and Vincent Duru counselled and procured the killing".
The judge maintained that, "the evidence of the prosecution had proved and exposed the nefarious syndicates whose occupations are to sniff life out of people and more especially children, using the Otokoto Hotel as their cemetery".
The judge, who said that the law made no provision for lesser punishment for murder case, said that she was left with no other option.