Anambra Man Bags Life Jail for killing Uncle over Land Dispute

By Praise Chinecherem

AWKA — The Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has sentenced a middle-aged man, Silas Uwa, to life imprisonment for killing his uncle, Nweke Eziokwu, during a dispute over a parcel of land in Ebenebe, Awka North Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Okechukwu Nwabunike handed down the sentence on Monday after convicting Uwa of manslaughter.

The prosecution told the court that the deceased and the defendant had been embroiled in a dispute over ownership of the land, which had been adjudged by their kindred to belong to Eziokwu.

The prosecution said Uwa and his siblings rejected the kindred’s decision and instead of seeking legal redress, the defendant confronted his uncle on his farm.

According to the prosecution, the confrontation degenerated into a fight, during which Uwa allegedly hacked Eziokwu to death with a machete.

The prosecution team, led by the Chief State Counsel, Ifeanyi Oguejiofor, with the Principal State Counsel, Ijeoma Ugboaja, called four witnesses, including the Investigating Police Officer, to establish the case against the defendant.

Uwa, however, pleaded self-defence and argued through his counsel that the prosecution had failed to prove murder beyond reasonable doubt, particularly as there was no eyewitness to the killing.

Delivering judgment, Justice Nwabunike held that a murder case could be established through direct eyewitness evidence, a confessional statement or credible circumstantial evidence.

The judge said although there was no direct eyewitness account of the incident, the prosecution had established through credible circumstantial evidence that Uwa was responsible for the death of his uncle.

Justice Nwabunike also rejected the defendant’s claim of self-defence.

However, the court convicted Uwa of the lesser offence of manslaughter rather than murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The judgment brings to an end the court proceedings arising from the fatal family dispute, which began over ownership of the disputed parcel of land.

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