By Chunks Eke
An Onitsha High Court in Anambra state, presided over by Justice D. A. Onyefulu has sentenced a notorious robbery kingpin, Ikechukwu Udensi (a.k.a Ikanda) to death by hanging for killing a successful Onitsha businessman, late Ndubuisi Nwokolo in the state.
Udensi had been standing trial since 2019 for the gruesomely murdering the late Nwokolo on June 29, 2018, a day to the ban of commercial motorcycles in Onitsha.
The convict who until his arrest and prosecution was a revenue collection agent to the Anambra state government
and on the process of trying to extort a commercial motorcyclist conveying Ndubuisi Nwokolo at No 21 Otumoye street Odoakpu, Onitsha, stabbed him to death for daring to stop him from extorting the commercial motorcyclist.
The death of Mr Nwokolo generated public outcry in the state, raising concerns why Ikanda should be killing people in the course of revenue collection or at any slightest provocation.
After committing the crime, Ikanda was on the run untill Anambra State Police Command under the leadership of CP Mustapha Dandaura declared him wanted and placed one million naira bounty on anybody that could give information leading to his arrest. He was subsequently arrested on March 31 2019, paraded, prosecuted, committed to prison custody in Onitsha and now convicted.
His conviction gave succour to Nwokolo’s family, who for the past five year, has been crying for justice; and here, the long-awaited justice came at last.
But, delivering the judgement at High Court Onitsha, Justice Onyefulu said the convict Ikanda shall be hanged untill life goes out of him and shall be committed to the prison custody before his death.
The mother of the deceased, Mrs Kate Nwokolo has continually cried for justice against IKANDA over the unwarranted gruesome murder of his son and breadwinner of the family (Ndubuisi Nwokolo), leaving behind his wife and children to wallow in penury for the past five years.
She thanked the God of Justice for allowing the truth to prevail and expressed satisfaction with the judiciary for doing the needful at this moment in time.
In a judgement paper made available to newsmen, the case was contained in Charge No 0/48c/2019 between the State versus Ikechukwu Udensi (Ikanda); the prosecuting counsel was Tonia Nnabuife, Senior State Counsel for the state while Barr C. J Agbata stood for the convict.
