June 18 (THEWILL) — An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced a man, Daniel Michael Elijah, to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of his uncle after accusing the victim of being responsible for his mother’s illness and his sister’s death through witchcraft.
Justice Archibong handed down the sentence on Thursday after finding Elijah, an indigene of Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, guilty of murder.
The court heard that the convict brutally beat his uncle to death after alleging that the deceased was a wizard whose actions had brought misfortune upon his family.
In a chilling revelation during the trial, Elijah admitted responsibility for the killing and confessed that he intended to mutilate the deceased’s body for ritual purposes.
However, his alleged plan was foiled when the deceased’s wife, with the assistance of other villagers, apprehended him while he was reportedly attempting to dismember the corpse.
Delivering judgment, Justice Archibong held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charge of murder beyond a reasonable doubt and consequently convicted the defendant.
Pronouncing the sentence, the judge declared: “You shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy upon your soul.”
The judgement brings to a close a case that shocked residents of Ibesikpo Asutan and renewed concerns over violence linked to witchcraft accusations and ritual-related crimes in parts of the country.
Note that, under Nigerian law, murder remains a capital offence punishable by death.
