Farmer who killed steward to die by hanging in Delta

A Delta State High Court sitting in Ughelli, has sentenced a 40-year-old farmer, Alex Obigbo to death by hanging for killing a steward.

The steward was an aide staff of the traditional ruler of Kiagbodo community.

In his judgment, the presiding judge, Justice A.O Akpovi, found Obigbo guilty of the one count charge of murder preferred against him.

Justice Akpovi commended the traditional rulers of Oviri-Olomu, Ughelli South, Kiagbodo and Burutu Local Local Government Areas for handling the matter with maturity from snow balling into crisis because of the unreasonable action of one man who took the laws into his hands.

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He said: “The deceased was not armed and the level of damage was unreasonable. The accused did not report the matter to the police for investigation, rather he killed the man and absconded and sold his phone. This shows that the accused is hardened. He had the option to arrest the deceased and hand him over to the police instead of taking the laws into his hands.”

Justice Akpovi, who declined the plea for allocutus by the counsel to the accused, said that his hands were tied, because there was overwhelming evidence that the accused who ambushed the deceased while armed with a cutlass had the intention to kill.

In his defense, the accused claimed the deceased was a thief responsible for stealing his farm produce, adding that on the fateful day, he caught the deceased in his farm and on sighting him, the deceased took to his heels.

He said he pursued him and a fight ensued during which he inflicted machete wounds on the deceased which led to his death.