A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt, Damian Okoligwe, to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, 300-level Biochemistry student, Justina Otuene.
Okoligwe, 26, was convicted on Friday after the court found him guilty of killing Justina at his residence in October 2023.
Delivering judgment, Justice Chiwen Nsirim Nwosu held that the prosecution, led by Charles Obediah-Mbaba, proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and established that the deceased died as a direct result of the defendant’s actions.
Okoligwe was arrested in 2023 after neighbours raised the alarm when he allegedly attempted to dispose of Justina’s remains.
A complaint to the Ozuoba Police Division about a foul odour led officers to forcibly enter his room, where they reportedly found a Ghana-must-go bag containing the dismembered body of the deceased.
The case, initially filed before a Magistrate Court, was transferred to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) in November 2023 for legal advice.
The murder trial commenced in May 2024 after the Rivers State Government assumed responsibility for the prosecution.
During an earlier interview with journalists in 2023, Okoligwe denied killing Justina.
He claimed he had been ill when she visited and said he awoke to find her lifeless. He further stated that he left for his brother’s house to seek treatment and returned three days later with the intention of disposing of her body, insisting he did not remove any organs.
Reacting to the judgment, prosecuting counsel Obediah Charles Mbaba welcomed the verdict, describing it as justice served.
“Justice has not only been done, but seen and felt to be done in respect of the gruesome murder of Justina Otuene,” he said.
“She was the only daughter of her parents, and today the court has pronounced her killer guilty. We believe her soul can finally find repose.”
He added that the judgment should serve as a deterrent to young people seeking illicit means of wealth.
“This should be a lesson to youths who believe shortcuts are the only path to riches. Hard work and respect for the law remain the only acceptable path,” he said.
Osat-Awaji Otuene, elder brother of the deceased, described the ruling as a relief for the family.
“It was a very detailed and well-structured judgment. I commend the judge. It’s a relief knowing that my sister didn’t die in vain,” he said.
The defence counsel declined comments after the verdict.
