By Admin 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
DELTA: A Delta State High Court sitting in Ibusa, presided over by Justice M. Omovie, has sentenced three men to death by hanging for their roles in the 2016 abduction and murder of His Royal Majesty, Obi Edward Akaeze Ofulue III, the late monarch of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom.
The convicted individuals—Suleiman Musa, Umar Mohammed, and Garba Abubakar Haruna, also known as Dogo—were found guilty on multiple charges, including conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and the murder of the royal father.
Justice Omovie also handed a 14-year prison sentence to Jemilu Ahmed for possessing the monarch’s stolen handset.
Speaking on the case, the Delta State Director of Public Prosecutions, Anthony Orhorhoro, revealed that the state presented five witnesses, including Pastor Charles Afamefuna Ugboh, who was abducted alongside the monarch. Pastor Ugboh recounted their ordeal, narrating how they were kidnapped at gunpoint and his eventual escape.
“The evidence was overwhelming. The court delivered justice by ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous act face the full weight of the law,” Orhorhoro said.
Justice Omovie ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to the sentencing of the defendants to death for the kidnapping and murder of Obi Akaeze Ofulue III.
The late monarch and Pastor Ugboh were abducted along the Obior Road on January 6, 2016. While Pastor Ugboh managed to escape, the monarch’s lifeless body was discovered in the bush days later, plunging the Ubulu-Uku community into mourning.
Community members have since lauded the court’s decision as a significant step toward justice.