A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced Damain Okoligwe, a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), to death by hanging for the killing of his girlfriend, Justina Otuene.
Justina, a 300-level Biochemistry student, was killed on October 20, 2023, inside Okoligwe’s apartment in Mgbuoba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The court heard that he attempted to dispose of her remains before he was caught.
In delivering judgment, Justice Chinwe Nsirim-Nwosu ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that the act was deliberate and carefully executed. The judge described the conduct as intentional and calculated, leaving no ambiguity in the evidence presented.
The court ordered that Okoligwe be hanged by the neck until confirmed dead.
Outside the courtroom, prosecuting counsel Charles Mbaba welcomed the ruling, saying it brought a measure of justice for Justina and would serve as a warning to young people who may be tempted to engage in harmful behaviour.