A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced three men to death by hanging for the murder of a pharmacist in Khana Local Government Area.
The convicts — Confidence Kirinee, also known as General Illa, Precious Monia, and Soniabari Sagha — were found guilty of multiple offences linked to the killing. Another defendant, Loveday Legah, was sentenced to life imprisonment for cult-related activities.
The four individuals were prosecuted for their involvement in the killing of Muenalo Sunday, which occurred on March 5, 2019, in Zaakpo.
Delivering the judgment, the presiding judge, Augusta Chukwu, ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges against the accused persons.
The court convicted Kirinee, Monia and Sagha on counts including conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping and murder, and sentenced them to death by hanging. Legah, who was found guilty only of cultism, was ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison.
During the trial, the court heard that the convicts were members of the Iceland cult group and had conspired to kidnap and kill the pharmacist.
Evidence presented before the court, including confessional statements, indicated that after killing the victim, the attackers disposed of his remains in a pit and reportedly took part of the body to a shrine located in a nearby bush.
Following the ruling, the prosecution counsel, Precious Ordu, praised the court’s decision, describing it as justice for both the victim and society.
The defence lawyers declined to comment on the judgment.
