Court Sentences Bizman To Death For Killing Uber Driver

An FCT High Court in Nyanya on Thursday sentenced a businessman, Obinna Echianu to death for armed robbery and culpable homicide.

Justice Peter Kekemeke, in his judgment, however acquitted Echianu’s co-defendant, Everly Nnorom.

Echianu, 42, was arraigned alongside 27-year-old Nnorom, a student, by the police on a five-count charge of armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms and culpable homicide.

The prosecutor, Donatus Abah had told the court that Echiannu, from Abia State and Nnorom, from Imo State on December 25, 2016 conspired to commit the offence of armed robbery and culpable homicide, punishable with death.

He said the duo, while armed with a Revolver Pistol and 33 live ammunition (bullets), robbed one Inalegwu Edwin Ali of his Nissan Almera car and one mobile phone at Gosa pedestrian bridge, Airport road, Abuja.

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He said after both of them successfully robbed Ali and Echianu intentionally shot him in the head causing his death.

Echianu was also charged with the offence of unlawful possession of firearms and live ammunition with which he shot the deceased.

The charge said the firearms and ammunition were later recovered from his residence in Abia State on March 21, 2017.

The judge held that the first count of conspiracy failed as it was not proved beyond reasonable doubt that Nnorom conspired with Echanu to commit the crime.

However, convicting Echanu of the offences on Thursday, the judge held that the police proved counts of armed robbery and culpable homicide against him beyond reasonable doubt against him.

“The first defendant is therefore sentenced to death by hanging on each of the counts,” Justice Kekemeke held.

The judge also ordered that Sienna car and the magnum revolver gun recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government.

He ordered that the deceased person’s phone recovered from him should be returned to his family.

The judge also directed that allegation of withdrawal of money from the convict’s account while in police custody should be investigated within one month, adding that those suspected to be culpable should be prosecuted in court.