Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

Four years after, a Bayelsa State High Court, sitting in Ogbia, has finally sentenced Christian Dauware to death for the murder of Simeon Michael in Oruma community, Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, in March.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Ralph Ajuwa, sentenced Dauware to death by hanging found him guilty on a one count charge of murder contrary to section 247(1) of the Criminal Code Law. Laws of Bayelsa State 2006.

The prosecution had called six witnesses six Policemen and two people from Otuasega community including the elder brother of the deceased, Amiditor Minabhin Micheal.

According to investigations, Dauware had a previous shouting match with the deceased and felt slighted with the latter’s behaviour and plotted revenge.

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The older Michael, a 300 level student of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma who witnessed the killing told the Court he had gone to the neighbouring community Oruma for a burial ceremony in company of two of his friends when he saw the accused with a machete.

He explained to the Court that he had approached him and pleaded with him to forgive what had happened between him and his brother. Though he said he was not going to do anything, he eventually used the machete to strike him.

Michael told the Court that the deceased was first rushed to the Otuasega Cottage hospital for immediate treatment and was referred to the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri but died on the way to the hospital.

Dauware in his statement which he reiterated in Court said the deceased had been one of the persons that allegedly stabbed a boy from Oruma community and attempted to attack him with other boys at Oruma on the faithful day forcing him to defend himself with a machete which he used on the deceased.

Justice Ajuwa in his ruling asserted that the prosecution had proved the case of murder against Dauware beyond reasonable doubt as all the three ingredients to sustain a murder case has been proved and therefore sentenced him to death by hanging.