The Enugu State High Court in Enugu, the state capital, has convicted Okolie Chigozie Michael, 32, of killing his son. He was 28 years old when he committed the crime in 2020.
The presiding court, Justice C.C. Ani, found the accused guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by hanging.
The court declared him guilty after the prosecution team established beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused, Okolie Chigozie Michael, brought his son, Igwilo Chimereucheya, to the bush on April 14, 2020, at Emene, Enugu, and strangled him. Unfortunately, when the infant did not die, the convict beat him on the chest, causing the child to vomit hot feces and pee before passing away.
The defendant was accused of using his fingers to scratch and injure his kid, giving the impression that the boy was involved in a fight, after which he took him home, washed him up, and lay him on the bed, pretending he was sleeping and attempting to flee.
When the mother of the one-year-and-seven-month-old kid discovered that the infant had died, she raised the alarm and summoned neighbours.
In itself judgment, the court agreed with the Prosecuting Counsel, Barr. Nkechi Ogbodo of the Department of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice, Enugu, who had during the trial tendered evidence before the court, including autopsy report to proved that indeed the deceased was strangled to death. It was gathered that the convict is a serial abuser, who constantly beats up the mother of his son. It was further gathered that he was earlier made to sign an undertaken at the police station at the insistence of their landlord and his wife’s employer, due to constant threats that he will kill both the mother and her child. Consequently, he was cautioned at different police stations to desist from his violent acts before the incident that led to the death of his son, Chimereucheya, occurred. It was reported that on certain occasion, the convict inflicted injury on the deceased’s penis because he urinated on the bed.
Justice Ani stated in her verdict that the culprit’s statement about how he murdered the deceased demonstrated that it was a voluntary and premeditated act, not one committed under duress.
As a result, the court found him guilty of murder and condemned him to death, having committed an offence punishable under Section 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.
While the defendant in the case, Okolie Chigozie Michael, is from Ibeme Obingwa, Abia State, the child’s mother is from Imezie Owa, Ezeagu Local Government Area, Enugu State.
