By A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, Justina Otuene.
The conviction was delivered by Justice Chinwe Nsirum-Nwosu, who found Okoligwe guilty of murdering Ms. Otuene, a 300-level Biochemistry student at the same university, on 20 October 2023.
The crime took place at his residence in the Mgbugba area of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
The court heard that after killing Ms. Otuene, Okoligwe dismembered her body and placed the remains in a wheelbarrow, intending to dispose of them. He was apprehended before he could do so.
In her ruling, Justice Nsirum-Nwosu stated that the prosecution had successfully proven the three essential elements of murder beyond a reasonable doubt.
She described Okoligwe’s actions as “intentional, composed, calculated, coordinated, and evil,” noting no contradictions in the evidence presented against him.
The judge subsequently ordered that he be “hanged by the neck until he is confirmed dead.”
The prosecution counsel, Charles Mbaba, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating it would bring a sense of closure to the victim’s family and serve as a deterrent to others.
The defence counsel declined to comment on the judgment. However, the brother of the deceased, Osatawaji Otuene, commended the court.
He said the ruling was a relief for his family and represented justice being served.
