By Austin Ogwuda, Asaba
An Ogwashi-Uku high court in Delta State has sentenced a farmer, Mr. Chukwutem Eke to death by hanging by, having been found guilty of beheading a 15-year old boy for ritual purposes.

He was said to have been contracted by a pastor of a certain white garment church to commit the act for ritual purposes.

Also, the Department of State Services, DSS in Delta state said they have secured convictions of eight persons at different courts in the State involving kidnapping.

A statement signed by Mr. A.P. Disi on behalf of the State Director said, “pursuant to efforts of the Delta State command of the Service in addressing the problem of kidnapping and threat of life of members of the public, so far in 2012, eight persons have been convicted in court out of the numerous cases being investigated by the command”.

Sentencing the farmer to death, Justice Theresa Diai stated that “having found Chukwutem Eke guilty for the murder of Chukwudi Ossai, I hereby sentence you to death that you be hung by the neck until you be dead. May God have mercy on your soul”.

Prosecution led by Mr. O.F. Enenmo had told the court that the convict, Eke, a native of Ogume in Ndokwa West local government area of the State attacked the deceased and his sister Ossai Onuwa with a cutlass while they were weeding their father’s farm at Olor-Ogwashi within Ogwashi-Uku judicial division, on 30th of November 2008.

It added that while the sister succeeded in escaping the boy was overpowered and beheaded.
The convict had in a confessional statement admitted to have committed the offence , saying that he was contracted by a pastor of a certain white garment church with a promise of N20,000 and also took police detectives to  where the severed head of the boy was recovered but during trial made a U-turn by denying the confessional statement.

The trial judge in her judgment, said  that prosecution successfully established the ingredients of murder against Chukwutem Eke and sentenced him to death by hanging.