Supreme Court Affirms `Rev. King’s Death Sentence

The Supreme Court in Abuja has affirmed death sentence passed on the General Overseer of Christian Praying Assembly, Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, popularly called `Rev. King’, over the brutal killing of a member of the church,

Ann Uzoh.

Delivering the judgment on Friday, Justice Sylvester Nguta, held that the convict's appeal lacked merit.

The facts of the case could have been lifted from horror film and the court cannot but resolve all the 12 issues raised in this appeal against Ezeugo.

This appeal has no merit. The judgment of the Court of Appeal is hereby affirmed.

The prison sentence that was earlier handed based on the other five count charge is no longer relevant in view of the death sentence passed on him.

``The appellant, in his defense, claimed that the victims sustained the various injuries from an exploded generator within the church’s premises but failed to prove this defense,'' Nguta said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ezeugo was arraigned on Sept. 26, 2006, on a six count charge of attempted murder and murder.

The charge against him was at the instance of the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions over the alleged death of Uzo and willful injuries brought on five others.

NAN further reports that the appellant was on Jan. 11, 2007, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for the alleged offences.

The prosecution had argued during the trial, that the convict poured petrol on the diseased and five others and left them for dead.

Consequent upon the intractable action, Uzoh died on Aug. 2, 2006, exactly 11 days after the Incident.

(NAN)