The Appeal Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has affirmed the decision of a High Court that sentenced a former employee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Godwin Elewana, to death by hanging for murder.
Elewana, had appealed against the ruling of the Calabar High Court, which sentenced him to death for allegedly shooting to death a 22-year-old student, Douglas Ojugbo, said to be the boyfriend of his daughter.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Y. Ninpar, on behalf of three other judges of the Appeal Court, said, “The court, having gone through all the evidence and addresses by counsels for both parties, finds the judgement of the lower court credible and therefore valid before the law.”
“The prosecution team also proved the second ingredient of the murder, which was the intentional act. To have fired the victim twice with his pump action gun, I agree that the killing was intentional and I hereby find the accused person guilty of murder.
Subject to Section 319 of the Criminal Code of Cross River State, any person who commits murder is sentenced to death by hanging.”
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.