PORTHARCOURT: 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 crime took place on October 20, 2023, inside Okoligwe’s apartment in Mgbuosimini, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.
Court records revealed that Okoligwe killed Justina, a 300-level Biochemistry student of UNIPORT, dismembered her body, and attempted to dispose of the remains using a wheelbarrow before he was arrested.
In her judgment, the trial judge, Justice Chinwe Nsirirm-Nwosu, ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. She described the defendant’s actions as intentional, calculated, and chillingly coordinated, adding that witness testimonies and evidence presented in court left no room for contradiction.
Justice Nsirirm-Nwosu subsequently sentenced Okoligwe to death by hanging, ordering that he be hanged by the neck until confirmed dead.
Outside the courtroom, the prosecution counsel, Charles Mbaba, welcomed the decision. He said the verdict delivered justice to the victim and her family and should serve as a deterrent to others.
Justice has not only been done but has been seen to be done. Justina was the only daughter of her parents and was gruesomely murdered in circumstances that suggested ritual intent, he said. We hope her soul now finds peace.
Mbaba added that the judgment should discourage young people from seeking quick-rich shortcuts that often lead to crime.
Although counsel for the convict declined to comment, Justina’s family members described the ruling as a bittersweet relief.
Her brother, Osatawaji Otuene, said the judgment brought a measure of closure after months of emotional pain.
It was a very detailed judgment, and I commend the judge for how the case was handled. It’s a relief that my sister didn’t die for nothing, he said.
The case had attracted widespread attention within UNIPORT and across Rivers State, becoming one of the most talked-about murder trials in recent years.
