A Bayelsa State High Court has delivered a decisive verdict, sentencing a 28-year-old man, Joseph Fekala, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of 25-year-old Kate Oguoh.
The Crime and Arrest
The tragic incident occurred in July 2022 in the Okaka area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. Joseph Fekala was arrested after he strangled Kate Oguoh to death following a dispute concerning N50,000. The money had reportedly been given to him by the deceased. In a chilling attempt to conceal his crime, Fekala buried Kate's corpse inside his room.
A Three-Year Trial and Final Judgment
After a lengthy trial spanning three years, Justice Ineikade Eradiri of the Bayelsa State High Court found Fekala guilty on three out of four counts brought against him. The judge convicted him for murder, misconduct in the handling of a corpse, and burial in an unlicensed place, all contrary to the state's criminal code. He was, however, discharged and acquitted on the charge of stealing.
In a ruling that lasted three hours, Justice Eradiri firmly dismissed the defence's arguments of insanity, provocation, and self-defence. The court noted that the defendant failed to discharge the burden of proving insanity, as his two witnesses could not convince the court that the killing was due to a mental disorder.
"The plea for a lesser offence cannot be sustained. After reviewing the evidence before the Court, I find no grounds to convict the defendant for Manslaughter. I therefore find the accused guilty of murder and convict him of counts 1, 2, and 3," Justice Eradiri stated.
Final Plea and Sentence
Before sentencing, Fekala knelt in the dock and pleaded for mercy, describing himself as a Christian and peace-loving man. He begged the deceased's family for forgiveness and asked the court for pardon.
Justice Eradiri, however, stated he had no discretion on the sentence for murder under the law. Referencing Section 247 of the Bayelsa State Criminal Code, the judge pronounced the mandatory sentence.
"I shall not pronounce sentences for counts 2 and 3, that should be left for your conscience. For murder, I have no discretion. The punishment for murder in section 247 of the criminal code of the laws of Bayelsa state is death. I hereby sentence you to death by hanging till you die. May God have mercy on your soul," Justice Eradiri proclaimed.
The parents of the deceased, Mr. and Mrs. Theophilus Oguoh, expressed satisfaction with the judgment and commended the judiciary for its firmness.
