By Onoriode Etatsemi.
AN Asaba High Court presided over by Honourable Justice Onome Marshal Umukoro has sentenced one Onuwa Olise Ijie to death and an accomplice, Nwanozie Uzor to 14 years imprisonment respectively for the killing of twin children.
The twins, all boys namely, Chidalu and Chigozie aged 7 years each were children of Mr.Olise Agwunobi.
Prosecution had told the court that tragedy struck the family of Olise Agwunobi of Oko-Ogbele Community in Oshimili South local government area of Delta State on 5th March 2020 when their seven- year old twin boys were lured out to a nearby bush and butchered .
It was reported that after killing the boys some vital parts of their bodies were removed and taken to a native doctor at Aguleri in Anambra State for money rituals.
Deputy Director in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Paula Akpoguma who led Prosecution called 5 witnesses and the 6th witness, was a 15 -year old Iweka Ajie, a younger brother to one of the Defendants who came to testify via video link but at the last minute out of fear, refused to adopt his deposition on Oath.
The Court held that the testimony of the other 5 witnesses proved the case against the two Defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
The prosecution further disclosed that one of the defendants had earlier gone to the school of the twin children to take them but was turned down by the School teacher, one Mrs Emelda Ogugua Ezekwude.
Delivering his judgment, Honorable Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro stated that after carefully evaluating the evidence presented before him, the prosecution had discharged the burden of proof as the first defendant from his confessional statement was the person who sowed the seed of committing human rituals in the mind of the second defendant by giving the phone number of one Chukwudi Edemuzor who was alleged to be searching for twins to kill for money.
The court maintained that the Law is settled that the testimony of an Investigating Police Officer (IPO) was not hearsay evidence and the court can rely on it.