Anambra Vigilante Operative Sentenced to Death over Murder of Phone Repairer

By Praise Chinecherem

A High Court sitting in Ogbaru, Anambra state has sentenced a vigilante operative, Onyeka Eze, to death by hanging over murder of a phone repairer, Anayo Ugbo, at Okpoko Market.

The court, presided over by the Administrative Judge of the Ogbaru Judicial Division, Justice Charles Okaa, convicted Eze, who hails from Enueiji in Ika North Local Government Area of Delta.

The deceased, Ugbo, was from Ogboji Ezzagu in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Chief State Counsel in the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Chinyere Aganama-Onyeze, told the court that the incident occurred on May 5, 2022, at Shoe Site Market, Okpoko.

She said the deceased, who was repairing a phone at the market, was summoned by the defendant, said to be a vigilante operative, to meet their boss.

According to the prosecution, when Ugbo asked for time to finish the phone he was fixing, the defendant refused and insisted that he accompany him to their office, a three-storey building belonging to a security outfit in the market.

The prosecution said the defendant also ordered that the customer whose phone Ugbo was repairing, Mr Joshua Igwe, follow them to the office.

The court heard that on arrival at the office, the vigilante boss was not around and the deceased pleaded to return to his shop to continue his work.

However, the defendant allegedly demanded that Ugbo pay money over a previous fight that occurred in the market, which the deceased declined, saying he was not involved in the incident.

The prosecution further stated that the defendant, angered by the refusal, assaulted the deceased and pushed him from the third floor of the building.

The victim sustained severe head injuries and later died two days after at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi.

During the trial, the prosecution presented four witnesses, including an eyewitness, a medical doctor who conducted the post-mortem examination and a police inspector.

The deceased’s brother, Sunday Ugbo, also testified that the victim narrated the incident to him in the presence of the eyewitness before he died.

Although the defendant maintained his innocence and testified in his defence, the court held that he failed to prove he was an authorised vigilante operative.

Delivering judgment, Justice Okaa ruled that the prosecution had established the offence of murder against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt and consequently sentenced him to death by hanging.