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Three ex-police officers were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday by an Anambra State High Court sitting in the commercial city of Onitsha for killing a 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, from Mbosi in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
It was claimed that the accused killed the victim in order to arrest him for allegedly assaulting and causing malicious damage.
The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and in the Onitsha Judicial Division.
After the incident, the ex-police officers whose names were given as Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to have been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.
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The court presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the Prosecution Counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991 as amended.
The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.
The Eastern Updates reports that the Trulaw Chambers, through her Principal Counsel, C.J. Okeke Esq., prosecuted the case with the Fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.
Reacting to the judgement, the Prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.
The counsel for the first defendant, G.A Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgement for his client, just as the counsel for the second defendant, C.E Ezenwa Esq. while that of the third defendant, C.J Agbata, said they needed a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.
