Justice Lateefat
Okunnu convicted Nnajiofor for the offence of manslaughter instead of the
charge of murder preferred against her. The decision has been announced on
October 28, 2013, Monday.
According to the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the sentence is to commence from 22 September, 2011,
when she was first arraigned.
Nnajiofor and her
husband, Elochukwu, 41, were charged to court by the Lagos State Director of
Public Prosecutions (DPP) on charge of murder, and pleaded not guilty.
However, the DPP
revealed the couple tortured their 14-year-old Arakwe to death on 17 August,
2010 at 81, Femi Tella Street, Ago Palace Way, Okota, a Lagos suburb.
In her judgment,
Justice Okunnu discharged and acquitted Elochukwu because the prosecution led
by Mr. Femi Adamson, had failed to connect him with the alleged crime. The
evidential burden against the husband of the convicted murderer was very weak.
“There is nothing to
show that he was part of the flogging his wife instigated that day, and
available evidence indicated that he was not in the apartment when it happened.
“The prosecution also
failed to prove the charge of murder against Chiamaka beyond reasonable doubts.
“Oliver was a
severely malnourished boy and the pounding of the boy with a belt would have
had a lesser effect on a normal 14-year-old.
“It is on this basis
that I find Chiamaka, the first defendant, not guilty of murder. I find her
guilty of manslaughter.
“The second
defendant, Elochukwu, is discharged and acquitted.”
PM News
No comments:
Post a Comment