A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced five people to death by hanging or by lethal injection until they are confirmed dead.

This verdict came following the involvement of the five convicts in the murder of the OSPAC Commander of Omudioga Community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, Umezuruike Alex.

The victim, late Umezuruike Alex, was killed, beheaded, and other parts of his body dismembered by cultists in 2021 for fighting against criminal activities in the area.

However, the police had commenced an investigation into the killing and arrested six people in connection with the crime. Upon the arrest, police commenced their prosecution.

The convicts, Okechukwu Orji from Atali Community, Obio/Akpor LGA, Igwe Promise, Iheanyi Igwe, Morrison Igwe from Omudioga in Emohua LGA, and Goodness Monday from Akwa Ibom, were found guilty on the ten counts of conspiracy, cultism, murder, and illegal possession of firearms preferred against them by the police.

The trial judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, in his judgment, however, discharged and acquitted the sixth defendant in the suit, Alex Deiwe.

Justice Aprioku ruled that the prosecution counsel, Essein Edet, proved his case against the five on conspiracy, cultism, illegal possession of firearms, and murder.

He therefore convicted and sentenced them by hanging or by administering a lethal injection until they are confirmed dead.

The court further held that the convicts did not only murder the Omudioga OSPAC commander, but that they were also involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities in parts of the state before their arrest and prosecution.