Court sentences 3 alleged killers of ex-militant, Soboma George, to death

Friday, June 5, 2020 12:37 am

he late Soboma George,an ex-agitator killed by the three convicts on August 24, 2010.

“…We killed Soboma George because he planned to kill us for refusing to assassinate former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi,” three Convicts.

Okafor Ofiebor/Port-Harcourt

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced to death by hanging three persons charged on three-count of conspiracy and murder of ex-agitator, Soboma George, and Joy John-Ejims, a groundnut seller in the oil city about 10 years ago.

The court ruled that the three accussed – Dougbra Ogbe, Emmanuel Gladstone, Bere Matthew, should be hanged on their neck till they are dead for conspiring and killing Soboma George and John-Ejims.

George was killed alongside, Joy John-Ejims at a football field in Nembe street in Borokiri area of Port Harcourt on the 24th of August 2010.

The three convicts being taken away after the judgment

The trial Judge, Justice George Omereji in a judgment that lasted over three hours ruled that the prosecution was able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubts with the evidence of an eyewitness identified as Emmanuel Eniete who was also shot on the hand at the day of the incident.

Among other confessional statements by the defendants, the Court ruled that those condemned to death killed Soboma George because he wanted to kill them after they refused to kill the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, and then Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.

Justice Omereji ruled that evidence and testimonies of the eyewitness proved that defendants who hail from Bayelsa State and were arrested in Ondo State where they fled to after been declared wanted by the police over the killings actually committed the crime.

The prosecution counsel, Ipalibo Karibo-Botoye said he is satisfied with the judgment, which trial lasted for ten years and expressed readiness to defend the case at Appeal Court if it gets there.

No counsel represented the three convicted persons. There was heavy security presence within and around the court premises during the four hours the judgment lasted.