We all remember Reverend king, the
controversial pastor who was arrested for the murder of one of his church
members in 2006.
His case has been revisited and 10years
after, he has been slammed with a death sentence.
According to Tribune, the Supreme Court on
Friday affirmed the concurrent judgments of a High Court of Lagos State
and the Court of Appeal which slammed a death sentence on the General
Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, a.k.a
Reverend King.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by
Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, the apex court held that the two lower courts were
right to have sentenced Rev Ezeugo to death by hanging for the murder of a
member of his church.
The court, which resolved all the
twelve issues the Reverend raised in his appeal against him, also said the
first five count charges against the Rev Ezeugo was for attempted murder, with
a penalty of 20 imprisonment, while the 6th count was for murder, which
attracts a death sentence.
Justice Ngwuta, in the judgement held
that the 20 years imprisonment for attempted murder was no longer necessary,
adding however that, "From the fact of the case, the scene could have been
taken from a horror movie.
"Having considered the arguments of
parties in this matter, I am of the view that the appeal has no merit.
"The appeal is hereby dismissed
and the judgment of the Lagos State High Court, which was affirmed by the Court
of Appeal is hereby affirmed", Justice Ngwuta held in the unanimous
judgment of the apex court.
Reacting to the judgment, the Director of
Public Prosecution (DPP) of Lagos state, Mrs. Idowu Alakija told newsmen that
justice has prevailed and that she was happy with the judgment of the apex
court in the matter.
Counsel to the appellant, Mrs Ann
Ibinola said the Supreme Court is the apex court of the land, adding that it's
decision will be abided with.
Rev Chukwuemeka Ezeugo (alias
Reverend King) had challenged the judgement of a Lagos High Court sentencing
him to death by hanging, which was affirmed by the Appellate court.
The apex court presided over by
Justice Walter Onoghen had, late last year adjourned till yesterday for
judgment after entertaining to arguments from counsel to prosecution and
defence in the matter.
Lagos State Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, who appeared before the Supreme
Court alongside Mrs. Idowu Alakija, the DPP, urged the court to dismiss the
appeal and uphold the judgment of the lower courts.
Ezeugo was arraigned on September 26,
2006 on a six-count charge of attempted murder and murder.
He pleaded not guilty to the
allegation but was sentenced to death by the then Justice Joseph Oyewole of
Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on January 11, 2007 for the murder of one of his
church members, Ann Uzoh.
Justice Oyewole is now a judge of
Appeal Court sitting in the Calabar division.
The Lagos State Government had said
that the convict poured petrol on the deceased and five other persons and that
Uzoh died on August 2, 2006; 11 days after the act was perpetrated on her,
while the other five members of the church sustained various degrees of burns
as a result of the act.
Specifically, Ezeugo was convicted
and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the attempted murder and death by
hanging for the offence of murder.
Dissatisfied, Ezeugo challenged the
verdict before the Court of Appeal in Lagos, but the appeal was thrown out.
’I hereby rule that the prosecution
effectively discharged the burden of proof on it. This appeal is devoid of any
basis and accordingly fails.
“The judgment of the High Court is
hereby affirmed, and the conviction imposed on the appellant, (which is death
by hanging) is also affirmed,” Justice Fatimo Akinbami who read the judgement
held.
The two other members of the panel of
Justices, Amina Augie and Ibrahim Saulawa concurred with the lead judgement.
Again, Ezeugo not being satisfied with the
verdict, approach the Supreme Court, and urged that the judgment be upturned.
The apex court, in its judgment
yesterday held that the killer Reverend must die by hanging.
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