A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, Justina Nkemenna Otuene, a 300-level Biochemistry student of the same institution.
Justice S. O. Amadi delivered the judgment on Friday after finding Okoligwe guilty of the one-count charge of murder brought against him by the Rivers State Government.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, the tragic incident occurred on October 20, 2023, at the convict’s apartment in Mgbuoba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The prosecution told the court that Okoligwe strangled Justina to death during an argument and subsequently attempted to conceal the crime.
Investigators revealed that after killing her, Okoligwe dismembered her body, packed the remains into a bag, and loaded it onto a wheelbarrow, allegedly in a bid to dispose of it under the cover of darkness. His actions, however, drew the suspicion of neighbours, who confronted him and immediately alerted security operatives.
He was arrested on the spot and later charged with murder.
During the trial, the prosecution tendered forensic reports, witnesses’ testimonies, and the defendant’s statements, which the court held collectively proved the case beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Amadi ruled that the nature of the crime warranted the maximum penalty prescribed by law.
The judgment has sparked fresh conversations about rising cases of gender-based violence and campus-related crimes, with many calling for stronger preventive measures and mental health interventions among youths.
The family of the late Justina, who were present in court, expressed relief that justice had finally been served, though they lamented that no verdict could bring their daughter back.
The convict is expected to be transferred to the correctional facility pending the execution of the sentence.
