Farmer Sentenced To 10 Years Imprisonment For Manslaughter In Delta Community

A Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku has sentenced a 25 year old farmer, Ikechukwu Nwodomo to 10 years in prison custody for manslaughter.

The presiding Judge, Justice K.O. Okpu charged Nwodomo, alongside the stepmother, Chinenye Nwangelle on the count of conspiracy and murder of a 17- year old Chibueze Ogbonna Nwangelle, was convicted by the trial Judge for a lesser offence of manslaughter who held that though prosecution proved that the accused person killed the deceased as regard actus rea (physical fact) but could not establish mens rea (intention) against him.

The first accused, Ikeckukwu Nwodomo, was accordingly convicted of manslaughter under section 325 of the Criminal Code and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

The court, however found the second accused, Chinenye Nwangelle the stepmother of the deceased, not guilty of the two count charge and was accordingly discharged and acquitted.

While delivering his verdict, the trial Judge, Honourable Justice Okpu described the first accused person who gave various contradictory accounts of what transpired in his voluntary statement to the Police and during his defense in court, as not a witness of truth and his evidence been contradictory could not be relied upon.

The Prosecutor from the Delta State Ministry of Justice, R.O. Okonyia (Mrs.)Principal State Counsel, through prosecution witnesses had told the court that on the 8th day of July, 2015 at Isah-Ogwashi-Uku village at Blessed Utomi Farm, within the Ogwashi-Uku Judicial Division, Chinenye Nwangelle, stepmother and her step son, Chibueze Ogbonna Nwangelle had a physical altercation which drew the attention of their neighbor, the 1st accused person , in the course of the altercation which ensued between the accused persons and the deceased.

The 1st accused according to eye witness testimony grabbed the deceased by the neck from behind and fell backward with him, which broke his neck and he fell unconscious. All attempts to revive him with water and keeping him near fire failed.

He was later confirmed dead at the Ubulu-Uku General Hospital by the Medical Personnel.