From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
Justice has been served in the killing of a 26-year-old businessman, Elom Chinonso, in Umuogudu Akpu, Ngbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Chinonso, who was popularly known as Oscar, was killed in 2023 by gunmen who stormed his shop in a branded political party Sienna vehicle.
The gruesome murder of Chinonso caused a pandemonium, leading to a wide protest by Ngbo youths, who demanded that the killers be arrested and justice served. Two years after the killing, four persons have been sentenced to death by hanging in connection with the killing.
Four persons, who were recognized by some eye witnesses, were subsequently arrested by the police while the fifth person, one ThankGod, remains at large. The suspects were later prosecuted.
The convicted persons included Anthony Elom, popularly known as Tidy, Chibueze Onwe, Chukwuemeka Ugah, known as Parity, and Uchenna Ododo, cousin to the chairman of Ohaukwu local government area.
They were sentenced by the State High Court, Ohaukwu Judicial Division after being found guilty of conspiracy and murder of the deceased. The deceased and the four convicted persons hail from Ohaukwu local government area.
They reportedly drove a branded Sienna bus belonging to a known political party to Ndulo Umuogudu Akpu road, stopped at the front of the late Chinonso’s business area, near Okwo Ngbo Main Market. According to witnesses, the convicts believed to be members of a secret cult demanded that their victim must provide information about the whereabouts of his younger brother whom they reportedly had misunderstanding with.
Chinonso’s inability to provide such information about his brother made them to attempt drag him into the Sienna bus. Upon his refusal to enter the Sienna, one of the hoodlums, Anthony Elom, shot him on the head with a shot gun and he died instantly.
Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Esther Otah said that the evidence provided by the prosecuting counsel, including the eye witnesses accounts, proved beyond reasonable doubts that the accused were responsible for the killing of the said Chinonso Elom, stressing that the defence of the defendants were not enough to exonerate them from the crime. She added that a forensic check on the gun later recovered from the killers also indicated that it was used last on the 5th of February, 2023.
On why they were all served the death penalty instead of singling out Anthony Elom who shot the victim, Justice Otah said that the killers formed a common intention to prosecute the unlawful purpose and they are liable for the eventful outcome of the unlawful purpose they pursued and that one of them was first to shoot the victim was immaterial.
The judge declared: “Anthony Elom a.k.a Tidy, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul”. Chibueze Onwe a.k.a “Chief OO, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul.” Chukwuemeka Ugah a.k.a Parity, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul”. “Uchenna Odono, you will be hanged with rope until you die. May God save your soul.”
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the defendants, Mr Chinedu Uwa, said he was not satisfied with the judgement and that he will appeal the judgment.
The prosecuting counsel, Oluchi Ibiam of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice and some lawyers from Ohaukwu local government area, who were in the court, Chinedu Ugadu and Chinedu Ituma, expressed satisfaction with the judgment and maintained that the verdict of the judge was a true reflection of justice.
President of the Amalgamated Ngboejeogu Youth, Michael Odo, a lawyer, applauded the judgment with mixed feelings, insisting that whereas the gruesome murder of the late Chinonso Elom was an evidence of the level of decay in the society, the judgment should serve as a deterrent to youths who still indulge into cultism and other vices.
Odo said: “Fellow Ngboejeogu youths, it is with mixed feelings of sadness but fulfillment of heart that I wish to address you this evening on the judgment of the High Court of Ebonyi State, Ohaukwu Judicial Division, delivered today 14/05/2025, in the case of State vs. Elom Anthony & 3 Others where the four defendants charged with the murder of Elom Chinonso (aka Oscar) were convicted and sentenced to death.
“This judgment does not call for celebration. It is a sad reminder of a terrible decay in our society. Those who were sentenced to death today are made up of two persons from Ngbo and two persons from Ezzangbo who could have added value to the society but chose the wrong path of criminality and ended up as a reference point in infamy.
“On 6/2/2023, youths of Ngboejeogu staged a peaceful protest against the gruesome murder of our brother Mr. Elom Chinonso (aka Oscar) by well known individuals. The protest was brought to me as the President of Amalgamated Ngboejeogu Youth and I promised the youths of Ngboejeogu that we will follow up the matter and ensure that justice is done. Today, that promise was fulfilled through the judgment of the High Court in the matter.
“I must thank in a special way the youths of Umuogudu Akpu community, Umuezeaka community, Umuogudu Oshia community, etc who rallied round to draw the attention of the entire Ngbo people to this dastardly murder. I thank the Ngbo Leaders Council for calling the solemn assembly at Obodo Akpu, Umuogudu Akpu Ngbo where decisions were taken to ensure that the suspects were produced and handed over to the police for investigation.
“Time is changing fast in Ngbo and cultism is becoming outdated and a nuisance. We call on all political leaders and youths in Ngbo to rise up and condemn cultism in all its ramifications and in the strongest terms.
“We pray that today’s judgment will teach the hard lesson it was intended to teach the youths of Ohaukwu Local Government Area.”
Odo identified political influence as the major challenge encountered in the case which he said will not be in the interest of Ngbo community.
“The major challenge in the case is political influence and I cannot guaranty that the outcome of the political influence will be in the overall interest of Ngbo .
“The present administration of Ebonyi State under Gov. Francis Nwifuru has not been interfering with judicial process. The incumbent governor has shown commitment to the rule of law.
“It is some elements in his government who cannot distinguish between the former administration and the present one that are giving a wrong impression about the government concerning the matter.
“We are of the view that the court should be allowed to do justice in the matter. The beautiful thing is that after the court decision in a criminal matter, the governor has the right to grant state pardon and set a convict free if he wishes.
“We have participated in series of meetings held in Abakaliki, Ezzangbo and Ngbo on this matter and we have been consistent in our demand for justice to Oscar according to law. We will continue to maintain that stand without looking at faces.
“We call on all Ngbo youths to remain resolute in pressing for justice in this matter. Let every youth eschew violence or unwarranted attacks on our leaders. We still have prominent leaders in Ngbo who support you on this case and we hope that those who strayed away from the yearnings of Ngbo people will think twice and retrace their steps.
“The case is currently adjourned to September for defence. The court is an open and public place where anybody can come in and quietly observe the proceedings.
“We thank all Ngboejeogu youths who have sacrificed time and resources in the struggle for justice to Oscar. We also thank our leaders who have been courageous to stand with the youths for justice in this matter. We will continue to give periodic updates in the matter as the need arises but anybody is free to attend court and observe the proceedings first hand,” he said.
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