A Rivers State High Court has sentenced seven men to death for the 2013 kidnap and murder of Reverend Edwin Dokubo-Harry.
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In the final judgment at the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt. Seven men, including a set of twin brothers, now face the death penalty for a crime that dates back over a decade.
Justice Boma Diepiri handed down the death sentence on Monday, closing a long and painful chapter surrounding the death of Reverend Edwin Isaiah Dokubo-Harry. The clergyman was abducted and murdered in 2013.
The judge found the men guilty on a 25-count charge. The charges included conspiracy, kidnapping, murder, and the possession of illegal firearms.
The court heard the chilling details of how the crime unfolded. On December 6, 2013, the convicts lured the reverend into a forest within the Abalama community in the Asari Toru Local Government Area.
Once they had him in the forest, they kidnapped him. They tied his hands and blindfolded him. The severe ordeal led to his death, and his attackers later dumped his lifeless body in a local creek.
Justice Diepiri ruled that the prosecution successfully proved its case against the seven men beyond a reasonable doubt. Those convicted are Precious Jack Opara, Answer Dick, Osaki Fubara, Prince Mikado Philip, Tienabeso George, Seleipri Fubara, and Alaboeriya Fubara.
However, the court did not find everyone guilty. Two other suspects, Emmanuel Israel and Nephew Philemon, were discharged and acquitted by the judge.
For the seven convicted men, the sentence was absolute. Justice Diepiri ordered that they be hanged by the neck until they are confirmed dead.
She also ordered the prosecution to hand over the recovered firearm and all other exhibits from the trial to the Nigeria Police.
The heavy sentence brought a wave of raw emotion inside the courtroom. Some of the convicted men broke down in tears. Family members who had gathered to show support also wept uncontrollably as the reality of the judgment set in.
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