A State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced a woman identified as Telma Bestman to death by hanging for killing her husband in Rivers State.
The court also sentenced one Wilson Okelekele for conspiring with Telma Bestman for the murder of Wagbara Bestman at his residence along Saint John axis of Rumuolumeni -Ogbogoro link Road, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Sunday, February 2020.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, the trial Judge, Justice Augusta Kingsley-Chukwu, held that the prosecuting counsel was able to prove the case of conspiracy and murder beyond reasonable doubt.
The court ruled that evidence presented to it by the prosecution proved that the accused wife, actually conspired with Wilson Okelekele to kill Bestman Wagbara.
The stated that the exhibits revealed that the accused woman opened the back door of the house leading to the main entrance of her husband’s room where her accomplice a security guard committed the act.
Justice Kingsley-Chukwu after considering all exhibits and arguments from both parties, sentenced the defendants to death, declaring that the duo be hanged at their necks until they are confirmed dead.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, the Chief State Counsel, Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu welcomed the judgment, describing it as well served deserved.
Ordu said, “We are happy, they can’t eat their cake and have it, they can’t just kill an innocent man, a full fledged man and expect to go scott free, the law doesn’t allow that.
“We are happy that the judgment went this way, we expected it and by God’s grace we have also gotten it today.”
On his part, Prince Ibojiekere Amadi, counsel for Wilson Okelekele, expressed his dissatisfaction over the judgment adding that he would appeal the judgment.
“Naturally I will appeal the judgment because we are not satisfied with the judgment of the court.”
“We will study the judgment of the court, then we will do the needful, we are not satisfied with the judgment.”
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