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Policeman to die by hanging over killing of graduate

By Ann Godwin Port Harcourt
28 September 2015   |   10:36 pm
THE Rivers State High Court presided over by Justice Adolphus Enebeli has sentenced a policeman, Inspector Samuel Timothy, to death by hanging for shooting Mr. Onyekachi Nwasouba, a graduate of Industrial Chemistry to death.
Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase

Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase

THE Rivers State High Court presided over by Justice Adolphus Enebeli has sentenced a policeman, Inspector Samuel Timothy, to death by hanging for shooting Mr. Onyekachi Nwasouba, a graduate of Industrial Chemistry to death.
Timothy was dragged to court by the family of the deceased and was prosecuted by the State Government.

The deceased, who was into production and distribution of sachet water, was said to have been branded a robber by the policeman on November 10, 2010, after he had gone to distribute his products to customers.

It was gathered that the convict, who led a Police patrol team, pursued him to the front of his house at No. 34 Old Aba Road, Port Harcourt, at about 5:00am and shot him dead, after he had shouted that he was not a robber.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Enebeli, in a three-hour-verdict, said the convict, who had been standing trial since 2010 alongside one Corporal Moses, demonstrated an act of inhumanity.

The trial judge pointed out that, going by the testimonies of witnesses, including members of the patrol team in the matter, the convict was an “inhuman trigger-happy policeman, who engages in murder; a hater of humankind and merciless killer, after hearing that the victim was an ordinary pure water seller.”

Justice Enebeli maintained that the killing was deliberate, hence he pronounced death sentence on him.
He declared: “According to Section 319 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I do not have the power to reduce your sentence. That, you, Inspector Timothy Sampson be hanged on your neck until you are dead.”

Corporal Moses was discharged and acquitted by the court on grounds that all the policemen on duty that day did not conspire to kill the victim. Rather, they wanted to demonstrate esprit de corps.

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