A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced 26-year-old Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt, to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, 300-level Biochemistry student, Justina Otuene.
Justice Chiwen Nsirim Nwosu delivered the judgment on Friday, holding that the prosecution, led by Charles Obediah-Mbaba, proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court affirmed that Justina’s death was the direct result of Okoligwe’s actions at his residence in October 2023.
Okoligwe was arrested in 2023 after neighbours alerted security operatives to his attempt to dispose of Justina’s remains.
A resident had earlier complained to the Ozuoba Police Division about a foul odour coming from his room. Officers who responded forced his door open and found a Ghana-must-go bag containing the dismembered body of the victim.
The trial began in May 2024, two months after the Rivers State Government assumed responsibility for the case. It initially commenced at a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt before Chief Magistrate Nnenda Obiageri Onugbum ordered the transfer of the case file to the Department of Public Prosecution for legal advice in November 2023.
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During his 2023 interview with journalists at the Rivers State Police Command Headquarters, Okoligwe denied killing Justina. He claimed he had been ill when she visited and alleged that he woke up to find her lifeless.
He admitted leaving the body unattended for three days while seeking medical help at his brother’s home, before attempting to dispose of it. He also insisted her organs were intact.
Reacting to the judgment, prosecuting counsel Obediah Charles Mbaba commended the court for delivering justice.
He said the ruling brings closure to Justina’s family and sends a strong warning to young people “who believe shortcuts are a pathway to wealth.”
He expressed hope that the judgment would help Justina’s family find peace, stressing that her killing was a devastating loss, especially as she was the only daughter of her parents.
Justina’s elder brother, Osat-Awaji Otuene, welcomed the judgment. He described the ruling as thorough and well-delivered, adding that it brings relief to the family. He said the decision affirms that his sister “did not die for nothing.”
The defence counsel declined to comment after the verdict.
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