From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
A high court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State has sentenced a man, Lucky Godwin, to death by hanging for stabbing a woman to death inside a hotel room in Abakaliki.
Lucky was also accused of stealing a baby belonging to the deceased after stabbing her to death and selling the two-year baby girl at Etche, Rivers State.
The accused had brought the deceased and her 2-year-old child from Enugu State and lodged them at Crown
garden hotel, Abakaliki where he allegedly killed the woman with a knife.
According to the suspect, the knife was provided for him by the hotel gateman, Monday Onwe, who collected N30, 000 to assist him in the act.
Onwe escaped from Abakaliki after the incident.
The lady’s decomposing body was however found days after the murder which occurred in 2018.
The accused also attempted to murder another 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 06/11/2018. Chisom Ugwu was found in a coma in a bush behind Azuiyiokwu girl’s high school close to the Crown Garden Hotel he stabbed the other lady to death
She was stabbed in her neck, abdomen, and back and was bleeding profusely. She was however rescued by police operatives at Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, for medical treatment.
Delivering judgment on the matter, the trial Judge, Justice Iheanchor Chima, sentenced Godwin to death by hanging.
Principal State Counsel Mrs Ijeoma Aja-Nwachukwu hailed the judgment.
“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 deeds. 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 favour of the defendant,” she said.