By Iyalla Adaye Port Harcourt
A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced three out of the seven accused persons facing trial in the lynching of four students of University of Port Harcourt popularly called Aluu4, to death. Th ose sentenced to death include: a former police sergeant, Lucky Orji; Ikechukwu Luis Amadi and David Chinasa Ogbonda. Th e court, however, discharged and acquitted four other accused facing trial: Abiodun Yusuf; Joshua Ekpe; Abang Cyril and John Ayu; for lack of overwhelming evidence. Justice Letam Nyordee in his judgment blamed the accused persons for embarking on mob action without having the facts about the action of the students.
Th e Judge said the death of the four students was ‘a culmination of the shameful failure of security institutions, especially in the area of intelligence sharing. He said the Police, the C4i and the Joint Military Task Force failed in their responsibilities. Speaking with journalists, counsel to the convicted persons, Chukwueze Ifedi, said the decision of the court was based on fi ndings of the investigation. Th e Director of Public Prosecutions, Ibikiri Otorubio, on his part said the state would study the judgment and decide on the next line of action. “What we can say is that the Judge has done his part and we will do our own. We will study the judgment and take the next action,” he said. Ugonna Obuzor, Toku Lloyd, Chiadika Biringa and Tekena Elkanah were killed on October 5, 2012, at Omokiri community, Aluu in Ikwerre Local government area of Rivers state. Father of the deceased students, Mike Torku, expressed disappointment at the judgment, noting that the only consolation from the decision of the court is that the children, who were wrongly killed have been vindicated.
