Man, 22, to die by hanging

A 22-year-old man was yesterday sentenced to death by hanging for criminal conspiracy in the murder of one Mr. Lawrence Omanchi two years ago.

The convict, Isaac Ogbanje, was handed the sentence by the Benue State Chief Judge, Justice Iorhemen Hwande at a Makurdi High Court.

Justice Hwande averred in his judgment that the convict conspired with his friends, Peters Torkula, Iorhumun James, Solomon Kuha and others now at large to commit the crime, and held that the Principal State Counsel, Emmanuel Hundu, called six witnesses to prove the case beyond all reasonable doubts.

The evidence of a 16-year-old student, Oche Onogwu and the victim’s brother, Agbese Ogbanje, according to the Chief Judge, proved that they saw the accused with others now at large killing Lawrence with stones, cutlass and other dangerous weapons that fateful night.