A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor, the General Overseer of the Altar of Solution and Healing Assembly based in Oyigbo, Rivers State to death by hanging.
Okoroafor was found guilty of multiple murders which included the killing of his choir mistress, Orlunma Nwagba, who he allegedly impregnated, as well as the murder of Nwagba’s friend, Chigozie Ezenwa, and her 11 months old baby girl, Cresabel, on December 11, 2017, in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The trial judge, S O Benson, in his judgement, held that the evidence and confessional statements from the pastor showed that he committed the crime.
Benson said the prosecution proved the case of murder against the cleric and ordered he should be Killed by hanging him on his neck until he is dead or should be injected with a lethal injection which also kills faster.
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According to reports, the women had visited the pastor’s house for a discussion on pregnancy when he allegedly tricked them into a bush and committed the act in two different locations.
Following an alarm raised by Ezenwa’s husband over the killing of three people in two different locations in Oyigbo LGA, the Rivers State Police Command arrested Pastor Okoroafor on December 17, 2017.
After a lengthy trial, the prosecution counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu expressed happiness over the judgement.
Despite receiving several threats during the trial, Ordu noted that justice has prevailed.
He said:
“Justice has been served to the state, the complainant, and the convict.
“This will serve as a deterrent to all those who intend to commit the same offence because it is justice for all.”
However, Counsel to the defendant, Dr Innocent Ekwu stated the court “misconceived the law.” He promised that he and his team will appeal the judgement.
Ekwu said:
“The court held that there was no eyewitness, not even one throughout the trial. The court also held that there was no circumstantial evidence linking the fellow to murder.
“But that the court convicted him of murder on account of his confessional statements.
“We, as counsel to the defendant, have decided to appeal the case. We are going to file our notice of appeal as quickly as possible because we have grounds on which we believe that the defendant did not commit the offence.
“And that the trial court misapprehended the facts and also misconceived the law.”
