The Ebonyi State High Court, Ohaukwu Judicial Division, has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the murder of 26-year-old Chinonso Elom, known locally as Oscar, in a case that shocked the Ngbo community.
Justice Esther Otah delivered the judgment after finding Anthony Elom (alias Tidy), Chibueze Onwe (alias Chief), Chukwuemeka Ugah (alias Parity), and Uchenna Odono guilty of the murder that occurred on February 5, 2023. The fifth suspect, ThankGod Onwe, remains at large.
According to court records, the convicted men arrived at Ndulo Umuogudu Akpu road near Okwo Ngbo Main Market in a branded political party Sienna bus. They confronted the victim at his business premises, demanding information about his younger brother with whom they reportedly had a disagreement.
Eyewitnesses testified that when Elom could not provide the information and refused to enter their vehicle, Anthony Elom shot him in the head with a shotgun, killing him instantly. The murder triggered widespread protests by Ngbo youths who demanded justice.
In her ruling, Justice Otah stated that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the accused were responsible for Elom's death. She noted that forensic examination of the recovered weapon matched the bullet used in the killing.
Addressing why all four defendants received the death penalty despite only one pulling the trigger, Justice Otah explained: "The killers formed a common intention to prosecute an unlawful purpose. They are liable for the eventual outcome of the unlawful purpose they pursued, and the fact that one of them shot the victim is immaterial."
The convicted men, who reportedly have ties to a secret cult, all hail from Ohaukwu Local Government Area, the same area as the victim. One of the convicts, Uchenna Odono, is reportedly a relative of a top official in the council.
The judgment brings a conclusion to a case that has drawn significant attention in Ebonyi State, with many community members expressing relief that justice has been served for the slain young man.
