A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced a 400-level University of Port Harcourt student, Damian Okoligwe, to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, Justina Otuene.
The judgment was delivered on Friday by Justice Chinwe Nsirim-Nwosu, bringing to a close a case that gripped the UNIPORT community since 2023.
Okoligwe, a Petrochemical Engineering student, was found to have murdered Otuene, a 300-level Biochemistry student, on October 20, 2023, at his apartment in Mgbuoba, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
He dismembered her body and attempted to dispose of the remains in a wheelbarrow before his arrest.
In her ruling, Justice Nsirim-Nwosu said the prosecution proved all elements of murder beyond a reasonable doubt.
She described Okoligwe’s actions as “intentional, composed, calculated, coordinated, and evil,” adding that the evidence presented had no contradictions.
The court subsequently ordered that Okoligwe “be hanged until death,” sealing the conviction and delivering justice for the family of the late Otuene. The ruling drew mixed reactions outside the courtroom.
Prosecution counsel, Charles Mbaba, welcomed the judgment, saying, “Justice has been done and is seen and felt to be done in respect of Justina Otuene.”
He added that he hoped the decision would serve as a deterrent to young people who believe “shortcuts in life are the only means to get rich quick.”
The deceased’s elder brother, Osatawaji Otuene, also expressed relief, describing the ruling as well-structured and reassuring.
“It is certain that my sister didn’t die for nothing,” he said, noting that the verdict brought comfort to the family.
