MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING IN ABIA STATE FOR KILLING HIS WIFE

Culled from Punch
An Abia State High Court has sentenced a banker, Mr. Theophilus
Ajakaiye, to death by hanging for killing his wife, Theodora.
(pictured above)
The convict allegedly murdered his wife on October 12, 2009 at Azumini
Ndoki in the Ukwa Judicial Division of Abia.
Until her death, Theodora was an employee of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.
The legal battle between the deceased's family and the accused began
soon after the alleged killing until the judgment recently.
The Presiding Judge, Justice T.U. Uzokwe, said in his judgment that
having heard from the accused person, learned counsel for the accused
and the prosecuting counsel, the offence carried a mandatory sentence
which is death.
He said the court had no power to reduce the sentence and that being
the case, he had no option but to sentence the accused.
The judge said, "Though the accused was not seen killing the deceased,
I find that the accumulated circumstantial facts found proved that the
accused indeed murdered his wife, Theodora Ajakaiye.
"Suffice it to say that I find the accused guilty as charged and I
convicthim accordingly."
The sentence read, "Theophilus Ajakaiye – The sentence of this court
upon you is that you be hanged by the neck until you be dead and may
the merciful Lord have mercy on your soul."
In the allocutus, counsel for the accused pleaded for mercy on behalf
of his client.
He said, "I thank the court for this well considered judgment. The
accused has no criminal record. We plead for mercy. There are two
children to the marriage and they have already lost their mother."