Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Enugu State chapter, has commended the judgment delivered yesterday, Wednesday, at the Enugu State High Court, sentencing a man, Okolie Chigozie Michael, to death by hanging for killing own son, saying that the conviction would serve as good deterrence to others who would contemplate committing crimes in the state.

The court had sentenced the 32 year-old to death by hanging for the murder of his son aged 1 year and seven months.

The court presided over by Hon. Justice C.C Ani, Ph.D, was brought before the court by the prosecuting counsel, Barr. Nkechi Ogbodo of the Department of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice, Enugu.

The convict, Okolie Chigozie Michael, is a native of Ibeme Obingwa in Abia State, while the mother of the child hails from Imezie Owa in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The mother of the child was cohabiting with the Accused person at Anambra State with a view to formalising their marriage as husband and wife when the child was conceived.

When things became though for the intending couple, the lady went to Enugu and got a job at Mr. Chineke’s Piggery Farm and later the convict relocated to continue cohabiting with her.

But on some occasions, Okolie Chigozie Michael threatened to kill their son so that both of them would go their separate ways, causing the mother of the child to lodged a complaint on the development at the police station where the convict wrote a letter of undertaking over the threat to life.

However, Chigozie carried out his threat by committing the offence on the 14th day of April, 2020, at Emene area of Enugu State where both of them were living at the piggery farm.

The convicted person, according to his confessional statement, carried the baby boy, identified as Chimereucheya and now the deceased, to a bush and strangled the baby to death, brought him back and laid him on the bed as though he was asleep and attempted to run away.

Unfortunately for him, the mother of the child noticed that the boy is dead and confronted the convict. He told her that the baby just cried and slept off.

He denied killing the baby and the complainant raised an alarm which attracted neighbours.

In the process, the complainants’ mother, Mrs. Esther Igwello, arrived at their house and questioned the defendant to ascertain what happened to the baby.

The convict still denied killing the baby before he was compelled to carry the baby to the hospital where it was confirmed by the doctor that the baby was dead.

Consequently, they took the matter to the police, carrying the dead baby boy along to lodge a formal complaint, where the then accused person, under caution, confessed to the commission of the crime.

Therefore, in a judgement delivered by the court, Justice Ani found Okolie Chigozie Michael guilty and imposed the penalty of death by hanging on the convict.

The state chapter of the CNPP in its reaction via a statement signed by the state Chairman, Dr Afam Ani, observed that the “judgment will bring succour to the deceased’s family and underscores the judicial commitment to upholding justice in Enugu State.”

According to the CNPP, the judgment is a statement that “will serve as a deterrence to potential offenders who would want to commit crimes and inflict avoidable pain on others in the state.”

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