UNIPORT STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND IN PORT HARCOURT

UNIPORT STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND IN PORT HARCOURT

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced a 400-level student of the University of Port Harcourt, Damian Okoligwe, to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Justina Otuene, a 300-level Biochemistry student of the same institution.

According to court records, the tragic incident occurred on October 20, 2023, inside Okoligwe’s residence in Mgbuosimini, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area. Prosecutors revealed that the convict not only killed Justina but also dismembered her body, attempting to dispose of the remains with a wheelbarrow before he was arrested.

Delivering judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Chinwe Nsirirm-Nwosu, held that the prosecution successfully proved all elements of the murder case beyond reasonable doubt. The court described Okoligwe’s actions as “intentional, calculated, and chillingly coordinated,” noting that witness testimonies and evidence tendered during the trial were overwhelming.

The judge subsequently ordered that Okoligwe “be hanged by the neck until confirmed dead.”

Outside the courtroom, prosecution counsel Charles Mbaba expressed satisfaction with the verdict, saying it brought justice to Justina and her bereaved family. He stressed that the sentence should serve as a strong warning to youths seeking wealth through unlawful means.

“Justice has been seen to be done in respect of the gruesome murder of Justina Otuene. She was the only daughter of her parents, and was brutally murdered in circumstances suggestive of ritual motives,” Mbaba said.

He added that the ruling should deter young people from pursuing “shortcuts in life” in the quest for quick riches.

While the convict’s counsel declined comments, members of the victim’s family reacted with mixed emotions. Justina’s brother, Osatawaji Otuene, said the judgment brought a measure of closure after months of anguish.

“It was a detailed judgment, and I commend the judge. We are relieved that justice has prevailed. It means my sister didn’t die in vain,” he said.

The case sparked widespread outrage within and beyond the university community and remains one of Rivers State’s most high-profile murder trials in recent years.