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A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced three persons to death by hanging over the murder of a pharmacist, Muenalo Sunday.
The convicts, Confidence Kirinee, popularly known as General Illa, Precious Mona and Soniabari Sagha, were found guilty of conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping and murder.
The trial judge, Justice Augusta Chukwu, also sentenced another defendant, Loveday Legah, to life imprisonment for belonging to a secret cult group whose activities led to the killing of the victim.
Delivering judgment, Justice Chukwu held that the prosecution successfully proved its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The court heard that the incident occurred on March 5, 2019 in Zaakpo community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to the judge, evidence before the court, including confessional statements by the defendants, showed that members of the Iceland cult group conspired, kidnapped and murdered the pharmacist.
The court further heard that after killing the victim, the attackers mutilated his body, removing his head and other vital organs before dumping the remains in a pit, while the head was taken to a shrine in a nearby bush.
Justice Chukwu ruled that while Loveday Legah would spend the rest of his life in prison, Confidence Kirinee, Precious Mona and Soniabari Sagha are to be hanged until they are confirmed dead.
However, Counsel to the convicts declined comment on the judgment.
Reacting, the prosecution counsel, Precious Ordu, a Chief State Counsel with the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, commended the court for what he described as a thorough judgment, saying it had delivered justice for both the deceased and the living.
On her part, the wife of the deceased, Pretty Neewa-Sunday, has expressed satisfaction with the judgment, saying it would bring closure to the family and allow her late husband’s soul to rest in peace.
