By David Akpu, Abakaliki
A State High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, has sentenced a man, Lucky Godwin to death by hanging for murder of a woman inside a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital, sometime in 2018.
Mr Lucky Godwin brought the deceased and her 2 year old child from Enugu State and lodged with her at Crown garden hotel, Abakaliki, where he allegedly stabbed the woman with a knife to death.
The knife was allegedly provided for him by the hotel’s gateman, Monday Onwe, who collected allegedly N30, 000 to assist Godwin in the act.
He also stole a baby belonging to the deceased after stabbing her to death and sold the two-year-old baby girl in Akwukabi Etche, River State.
The lady’s decomposing body was later found days after the murder.
Mr Lucky Godwin was also accused of attempting to murder a heavily pregnant woman, Chisom Ugwu by stabbing her in a bush behind Girls’ High School, Azuiyikowu in Abakaliki and also stole her two year
old baby.
The incident occurred on June 6, 2018.
Chisom Ugwu was found in coma in a bush behind Azuiyiokwu girl’s high school close to the Crown Garden Hotel where he stabbed the other lady to death
Chisom Ugwu was stabbed on her neck, abdomen and back and was bleeding profusely. She was however rescued by police operatives to Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, for medical treatment.
Ruling on the case on Thursday, Justice Ihenachor Chima sentenced Lucky Godwin to death by hanging.
Principal State Counsel, Mrs. Ijeoma Aja-Nwachukwu, hailed the judgment.
She said: “Like the court, rightly said, an Eye for an Eye. According to the judgment by the court, he will be hanged to pay for his actions. He needs to pay with his life as he has taken the life of that young woman.
“The child of the deceased and that of Chisom Ugwu were recovered including the accused person’s son that he sold at Echie local government area of River state.
“The second defendant was set free as according to the law once there is an element of doubt it ends in favor of the defendant.
“Yes, Lucky said the second defendant (Monday Onwe) was the person that assisted him according to his statement to the police but in court he denied it, saying he was just seeing him for the first time. The incident happened in 2018 and we filled information in 2019, so the case lasted for 3 years.
“We need to be careful who we move with, like this deceased woman nobody could identify her, even the daughter that was recovered is still with the ministry of women affairs”, she stated.
Counsel to Lucky Godwin, Marcel Akamaba, said “I work with the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria. The way the matter has ended, I will communicate my office and know the next action to take,”. END//