26th November, 2012
Henry Ojelu& Olamide Abdul
The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP, has exonerated four suspects linked to the murder of late Cynthia Osokogu in Lagos.
In an advice forwarded to the new court handling the trial, the office of the DPP noted that two pharmacists Orji Osita and Maduakor Chukwunonso and two co-defendants Gideon Okechukwu and Ezeaka Chinonso charged along side others in the matter are not culpable of the offences of murder, conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to commit felony to wit stealing preferred against them before the lower court.
Based on the advice, the new trial court presided over by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, has ordered their released from prison custody.
The office of the DPP however found the main culprits in the murder case, Okwumo Echezona Nwabufo and Ezike Ikechukwu Olisaeloka culpable of the offences of murder, conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to commit felony to wit stealing, while Ezike Nonso Ifechukwu was found culpable of receiving Cynthia’s stolen blackberry phone contrary to sections 326(1) (2) law of Lagos State.
In the advice, DPP noted that to establish offence of conspiracy,”the prosecution must establish that there was agreement between two or more persons to carry out the crimes or unlawful act.”
It stated further that, ” It is well settled that to secure a conviction on a charge of murder, the prosecution must prove that, ‘the deceased had died, that the death of the deceased was caused by the accused, and that the act or omission of the accused which caused the death of the deceased was intentional with knowledge that death or grievous bodily harm was its probable consequence.”
“In the light of the foregoing, this office shall prosecute Okwumo Echezona, Nwabufoan Ezike and Ikechukwu Olisaeloka for the offences of conspiracy to commit murder, murder conspiracy to commit felony to wit stealing and stealing contrary to Section 231,221, 409 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Law, No. 11, Laws of Lagos State, 2011 respectively.”
No date has been fixed for their arraignment.