By: Sunday Apah
The Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku, has condemned two men to death by hanging for the heinous abduction and brutal murder of Miss Elozino Joshualia Ogege.
Ogege, a brilliant 300-level Mass Communication student from Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, was on the cusp of academic glory before her promising life was tragically extinguished.
Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, with unwavering resolve, delivered the damning judgment on Wednesday. Macaulay Desmond Oghenemaro and Enaike Onoriode were unequivocally found guilty on all counts, including conspiracy to commit kidnapping, the act of kidnapping itself, conspiracy to commit murder, and the ultimate crime of murder.
The nation reeled in shock and outrage in 2019 when Ogege, an indigene of Isoko, Delta State, vanished. Reports indicated she had gone to meet an individual promising accommodation assistance in Abraka, only to be allegedly ensnared by suspected ritualists, chillingly linked to the dark underworld of internet fraud, infamously known as “Yahoo Yahoo plus.”
The Delta State Government, through the formidable Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, relentlessly pursued justice, prosecuting the accused on an eight-count charge encompassing conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and murder. A fourth defendant, Robinson Obajero Ojokojo, a native doctor, evaded earthly justice, having died before the trial’s conclusion.
The wheels of justice, though slow, grind inexorably. The case languished for years, plagued by persistent adjournments, primarily due to the repeated absence of counsel for the first defendant. Yet, perseverance prevailed; final written addresses were eventually adopted, culminating in this momentous judgment.
Reacting to the monumental verdict, Omamuzo Erebe (SAN), the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Justice, who spearheaded the prosecution, hailed the decision as a “landmark judgment.”
“Today, we bear witness to the culmination of a trial that commenced approximately nine years ago. The court meticulously found the first and third defendants guilty of the offenses of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping,” Erebe declared.
“Furthermore, they were convicted of the offenses of conspiracy to commit murder and the cold-blooded murder of Miss Elozino Ogege. They have been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, but for the offenses of conspiracy to commit murder and the murder itself, they face the ultimate penalty: death by hanging.”
He emphasized that the judgment offers a measure of solace and closure to the grieving family of the deceased, who have endured years of agonizing waiting.
“Today, on behalf of the Delta State Government and the Commissioner for Justice, our profound condolences extend to the family. They have waited nine long years for justice, and today, justice has been delivered to them and their entire family,” Erebe stated, acknowledging the profound emotional toll. “You could perceive the profound emotion of the deceased’s mother in court. It is a natural reaction. We remain hopeful that while this judgment cannot resurrect her, it will aid them in finding a path to closure.”
Erebe further asserted that this judgment serves as a stark and terrifying warning to young individuals contemplating the dark allure of internet fraud and ritualistic killings.
“Secondly, this judgment broadcasts an undeniable message. The ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ phenomenon, or whatever moniker it assumes, the ritual killings, or whatever dark practices are involved—ultimately, the law will inevitably exact its toll,” he cautioned.
“Therefore, to young men who harbour the delusion of instant wealth through ritual killings and these abhorrent methods, you will ultimately share the fate of the first and third defendants in this matter. The law will prevail. Regardless of the time it takes, the law will ultimately run its course. I implore you, desist from crime.”
Concurring with the sentiment, Isoko lawyer Duncan Afahokor proclaimed the judgment as “Justice at last,” emphasizing that it was a case where “justice is not only done but manifestly seen to be done.”
He affirmed that the verdict will bolster public confidence in the judicial system and transmit an unequivocal signal that perpetrators of violent crimes will, without fail, confront the full, unyielding might of the law.(Daily Shine)
