UNIPORT Student Sentenced to Death for Brutal Murder
Justice Chinwe Nsirim-Nwosu of the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has delivered a death sentence to Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level student at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). The court found him guilty of murdering and dismembering his girlfriend, Justina Otuene, who was a 300-level Biochemistry student at the same institution.
Gruesome Crime Details Emerge
The tragic incident occurred on October 20, 2023, when Okoligwe killed Otuene in his apartment located in a highbrow area of Port Harcourt. The victim's body remained undiscovered for four days before authorities found her mutilated remains. According to court proceedings, vigilante group members apprehended the suspect while he was attempting to dispose of the decomposing corpse at a refuse dump site.
During the trial, prosecution lawyer Charles Mbaba presented compelling evidence that led Justice Nsirim-Nwosu to declare that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The judge characterized Okoligwe's actions as "intentional, composed, calculated, coordinated, and evil" during the judgment delivered on Friday, November 28, 2025.
Legal Proceedings and Consequences
The court ordered that Okoligwe should be hanged by the neck until confirmed dead, marking one of the most severe punishments in recent Nigerian university crime cases. Prior to this High Court ruling, a Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt had initially remanded the suspect to prison and transferred his case file to the Office of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Following the murder investigation, UNIPORT management expelled Okoligwe from the institution, severing his academic ties. Prosecution lawyer Mbaba expressed that the judgment would allow Justina's soul to rest in peace and serve as a deterrent to other young people who might consider violent shortcuts in relationships.
The case has drawn significant public attention to campus safety and relationship violence in Nigerian universities, particularly within the Port Harcourt academic community where both victim and perpetrator were students at the same institution.
