3 to die by hanging for murdering pharmacist

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced three persons to death by hanging for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of a pharmacist, Muenalo Sunday. The convicts, Confidence Kirinee, popularly known as General Illa, Precious Mona, and Soniabari Sagha, were found guilty of conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping and murder. […]

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced three persons to death by hanging for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of a pharmacist, Muenalo Sunday.

The convicts, Confidence Kirinee, popularly known as General Illa, Precious Mona, and Soniabari Sagha, were found guilty of conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping and murder.

The court also sentenced Loveday Legah to life imprisonment for belonging to a secret cult group linked to the crime.

Delivering judgement, Justice Augusta Chukwu held that the prosecution successfully proved the charges against the three convicts beyond a reasonable doubt, while the offence of cultism was established against Legah.

The court heard that the victim, a pharmacist from the Zaakpo community in the Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, was abducted and murdered on March 5, 2019.

According to the judge, confessional statements and other evidence presented before the court showed that the convicts, who were said to be members of the Iceland cult group, conspired to kidnap and kill the victim.

The court further heard that the suspects severed the victim’s head and other sensitive body parts before dumping his remains in a pit, while the head was allegedly taken to a shrine located in a bush in a neighbouring community.

Justice Chukwu ruled that Loveday Legah should spend the rest of his life in prison, while Confidence Kirinee, Precious Mona and Soniabari Sagha are to be hanged by the neck until they are confirmed dead.