Following Wife’s Report, Man, Accomplice Get Death Sentence In Anambra Over Rape, Murder Of 17-Year-Old Mentally Impaired Girl

By Joseph Egbeocha

Anambra State High Court, Ogidi Judicial Division, presided over by Justice Irene Ndigwe, has convicted and sentenced to death by hanging Elochukwu Belonwu and Chukwuebuka Ofokwu,; following a case of criminal conspiracy, rape, and murder proven against them by the prosecution.

According to sources, the deceased, 17-year-old Jennifer Anene, who was mentally impaired, was reported missing on 25th November 2020 by her grandfather, Elder Pius Anene, and that three days later, the wife of the first defendant went to the deceased’s home and reported seeing her husband and others sexually assaulting Jennifer as she screamed for help.

When Elder Anene confronted the first defendant, he denied the allegation and claimed he had last seen Jennifer with the second defendant, and shortly after, a mutual friend, Akpuchukwu, brought Jennifer home unconscious, fled, and has remained at large.

On police instruction, the deceased was rushed to a hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival, with an autopsy revealing “bruises, vaginal tears, and clear signs of aggravated sexual assault.”

Though the eyewitness and first defendant’s wife refused to testify despite being served, the prosecution called two witnesses: the deceased’s grandfather and the investigating police officer, and also tendered the postmortem report, police investigation report, and photographs, while the defendants testified in their own defense and advanced a case of complete denial.

After reviewing all evidence and submissions, Justice Ndigwe held that the prosecution had proved the offenses of rape, conspiracy, and murder against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

Reacting to the judgement, the Secretary of the Law Officers Association of Nigeria, Anambra State Chapter, Barrister Nonso Emeka, said the judgment “answers the cry for justice of a child whose blood demanded accountability, and of a society whose values were desecrated,” adding that the verdict “stands as further proof of the commitment and diligence of Law Officers in the Anambra State Ministry of Justice to ensure that justice is served, no matter how long it takes.”