From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Mr. Bestman Lekia popularly called Biggie, has been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging, by a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
The judgement was passed on the convict for the killing of four people, and using an intestine to prepare meal, as well as burning of buildings in a community in Khana Local Government Area of the state.
Lekia and others now at large were reported to have killed Gbodu Nobaale, Etim Ekpe, Nenalebarri Mmeabe and Loveday Mmeabe in 2019.
They (Lekia and others) kidnapped the first victim and took him to another place where his intestines were used to prepare plaintain meal in Okwalie community in Khana area in that year.
The trial judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, in his judgement yesterday, found Lekia guilty of murder, kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery, stating that the prosecution counsel proved his case with the necessary evidence and presentations.
Justice Enebeli said even the attitude of Lekia throughout his trial proved that he is a hardened criminal, cultist and terror, who, if possible, is supposed to be hung four times and die four times, and, thereby, ruled that he should be hung on his neck until he is confirmed dead.
In an interview with newsmen shortly after the judgement, the state prosecution counsel, Chidi Ekeh, described the judgement as a hard-nosed and erudite judgement that would save Ogoni community and Rivers State at large.
Ekeh said although he is not happy that somebody’s life would be taken away, but insisted that the law and state would have failed, if they had allowed the convict to go free without facing justice.