Rivers court sentences student to death for killing girlfriend
Story by Susan Mbamah
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, a high court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced a university student to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murdering his girlfriend during a violent altercation.
The convict, whose name was withheld for legal reasons, was arraigned on a charge of murder after the police accused him of stabbing his girlfriend to death in her off-campus residence in 2022. Prosecutors told the court that the student committed the act following a dispute that escalated into physical assault.
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Delivering judgment on Friday, the presiding judge held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on witness testimonies, forensic evidence, and the defendant’s own statements to investigators.
“The court finds the defendant guilty of the offense of murder as charged. He is hereby sentenced to death by hanging,” the judge declared.
The courtroom was tense as the verdict was read. Family members of the deceased, who had attended every hearing since the case began, broke down in tears, describing the judgment as “a bittersweet end to a long battle for justice.”
Police authorities in Rivers State welcomed the verdict, saying it serves as a deterrent against gender-based violence and rising cases of domestic-related killings among young people.
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The defense counsel, however, stated that they would study the judgment and consider grounds for appeal.
The case has triggered fresh conversations on campus safety, toxic relationships, and mental health awareness among students in tertiary institutions across the state.
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