NIGERIA: POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A BOY

The State High Court, Nembe Division, Bayelsa State, has sentenced a former police officer, Mr. Matthew Egheghe, to death by hanging over the killing of one Emmanuel Victor. Victor was allegedly shot many times by policemen at a checkpoint in Yenagoa in the presence of his mother, Grace. Victor and his mother were said to be returning from Christ Embassy Church on October 16, 2011, when he (Victor) was said to have asked the policemen to stop extorting money from motorists.
Egheghe was the second accused person in the murder of Victor. Others were Inspector Lucky (first accused) and Monday Umeh (third accused). They were all attached to the Bayelsa State Police Command before they were found guilty during an orderly room trial, leading to their dismissal from the police. Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Lucky Boufili said the prosecution proved that the gunshots fired by the second accused person killed the deceased (Victor).
He added that the offence was punishable under Section 427 (1) of the Criminal Code of Bayelsa State. The judge also discharged and acquitted the first and the third accused persons, Lucky and Umeh respectively, stressing that the prosecution counsel could not establish their culpability.