Court Sentences Man To Death For Killing Four In Rivers

• Convict, others use victim’s intestines for plantain porridge 

The Rivers State High Court has sentenced one Bestman Lekia to death by hanging for killing four people and using one of his victims’ intestines to prepare plantain porridge.

Additionally, Lekia was also accused of razing buildings in a community within Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to the prosecution, the four persons murdered by the convict and others, currently at large, were Gbodu Nobale, Etim Ekpe, Nenalebarri Mmeabe and Loveday Mmeabe.

The Court was informed that Lekia and his gang first kidnapped Loveday Mmeabe, took him to a place where they removed his intestines and used them to prepare a plantain meal in Okwalie community in Khana area in 2019.

The trial Judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, found Lekia guilty of murder, kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery, noting that the prosecution counsel proved his case beyond every reasonable doubt.

Observing that Lekia’s attitude throughout his trial proved he was a hardened criminal, cultist and terrorist, Justice Enebeli ruled that he should be hanged on his neck until officially confirmed death.

In his reaction to the judgment, the State prosecutor, Chidi Ekeh, described it as erudite, saying the decision would save the Ogoni community and Rivers State from the criminal activities perpetrated by the convict and his gang members.

Ekeh said though it was unfortunate that someone has to die by the judgment, the State would have failed if Lekia had been allowed to walk free without facing justice.