Rivers Court Sentences UNIPORT Student To Death For Murder Of Girlfriend

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced a 400-level student of the University of Port Harcourt, Damian Okoligwe, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Justina Otuene, a 300-level Biochemistry student of the same institution.

Okoligwe, a final-year student of Petrochemical Engineering, was found guilty of killing Miss Otuene on October 20, 2023, at his residence in Mgbupta, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. According to the prosecution, he dismembered her body after the killing and attempted to dispose of the remains by placing them in a wheelbarrow before he was apprehended.

Delivering judgment, the trial judge, Justice Chinwe Nsirim-Nwosu, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing all three key ingredients required to secure a conviction for murder.

Justice Nsirim-Nwosu described Okoligwe’s actions as “intentional, composed, calculated, coordinated, and evil,” adding that the evidence presented showed no contradictions and clearly implicated the defendant in the crime.

The court further ruled that Okoligwe should be hanged by the neck until confirmed dead, in accordance with the applicable laws of Rivers State.

The tragic case shocked both the University of Port Harcourt community and the wider public, as it added to the growing concerns over violence against women and the safety of students on and off Nigerian campuses. Authorities say the judgment serves as a strong deterrent to such crimes.