Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku has sentenced two men to death by hanging over the kidnapping and murder of Delta State University (DELSU) student, Elozino Ogege.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Ngozi Azinge, came almost eight years after the tragic killing of the 300-level Mass Communication undergraduate, whose death shocked Nigerians in 2018.
The court found Macaulay Oghenemaro and Enike Onoriode guilty after ruling that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The two convicts also received prison terms ranging from seven years to life imprisonment on other offences linked to the crime.
However, the court discharged and acquitted Benedict Uche, a security guard, after holding that there was no credible evidence connecting him to the kidnapping and murder.
Five suspects were originally charged in 2019, but two died before the trial was concluded, leaving three defendants to face judgment.
Prosecutors described the verdict as a major boost in the fight against kidnapping, ritual-related killings and other violent crimes, saying it should serve as a warning to criminals.
Reacting to the ruling, Uche thanked the court for clearing his name and said he was eager to reunite with his wife and three children, while the two convicted men were taken back to the Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre pending any appeal.
