The trial judge, S.O Benson, in his judgement said the evidence and confessional statements from the pastor showed that he committed the crime.
Chidiebere Okoroafor, the General Overseer of the Altar of Solution and Healing Assembly based in Oyigbo, Rivers State, has been sentenced to death by hanging for multiple murders, by a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
The State Police Command had on December 17, 2017 arrested Pastor Okoroafor following an alarm raised by Chigozie’s husband over the killing of three people in two different locations in Oyigbo LGA.
Pastor Okoroafor, who was standing trial for killing his choir mistress, Orlunma Nwagba, who he allegedly impregnated was also facing murder charges for the killing of Orlunma’s friend, Chigozie Ezenwa, and her 11 months old baby girl, Cresabel, on December 11, 2017, in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The trial judge, S.O Benson, in his judgement said the evidence and confessional statements from the pastor showed that he committed the crime.
He added that the prosecution proved the case of murder against the cleric and ordered he should be killed by hanging him on his neck until he would be dead or he should be injected with a lethal injection which also killed faster.
The women were said to have visited the pastor’s house in Oyigbo for a discussion on the said pregnancy when he tricked them into a bush and allegedly committed the act in two different locations.
The prosecution counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu, expressed happiness over the judgement, while speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom.
He stressed that the prosecution had received several threats in the course of the trial, while expressing delight that justice had prevailed.
Meanwhile, Counsel to the defendant, Dr Innocent Ekwu, said he and his team would appeal the judgement, saying the court “misconceived the law.”