Rev King To Die By Hanging, S/Court Rules

The Supreme Court yesterday affirmed the
concurrent judgments of a High Court of
Lagos State and the Court of Appeal which
handed a death sentence on the General
Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly,
Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, a.k.a Reverend
King.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by
Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, the apex court
held that the two lower courts were right to
have sentenced Rev Ezeugo to death by
hanging for the murder of a member of his
church.
The court, which resolved all the 12 issues
the clergyman raised in his appeal against
him, also said the first five-count against
Rev. Ezeugo was for attempted murder, with
a penalty of 20years imprisonment, while
the 6th count was for murder, which attracts
a death sentence by hanging.
Justice Ngwuta, in the judgement held that
the 20 years imprisonment for attempted
murder was no longer necessary, adding
however that, “From the fact of the case, the
scene could have been taken from a horror
movie.
“Having considered the arguments of parties
in this matter, I am of the view that the
appeal has no merit.
“The appeal is hereby dismissed and the
judgment of the Lagos State High Court,
which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal
is hereby affirmed”, Justice Ngwuta held in
the unanimous judgment of the apex court.
Ezeugo was arraigned on September 26,
2006 on a six-count charge of attempted
murder and murder.
He pleaded not guilty to the allegation but
was sentenced to death by the then Justice
Joseph Oyewole of Lagos State High Court,
Ikeja, on January 11, 2007 for the murder of
one of his church members, Ann Uzoh.
Justice Oyewole is now a judge of the
Appeal Court sitting in the Calabar division.
The Lagos State Government had said that
the convict poured petrol on the deceased
and five other persons and that Uzoh died
on August 2, 2006; 11 days after the act
was perpetrated on her.
Specifically, Ezeugo was convicted and
sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the
attempted murder and death by hanging for
the offence of murder.
Dissatisfied, Ezeugo challenged the verdict
before the Court of Appeal in Lagos, but the
appeal was thrown out.