Court Sentences UNIPORT Student, Damian Chinaemerem Okoligwe, to Death by Hanging for Murder of Girlfriend, Justina Otuene

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced Damian Chinaemerem Okoligwe, a student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), to death by hanging for the 2023 murder of his girlfriend, Justina Otuene, bringing a dramatic end to a case that drew widespread public outrage across the country.

Delivering the judgment on Thursday, the presiding judge held that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that Okoligwe was responsible for the killing, which occurred in 2023. The court noted that the evidence presented — including testimonies, forensic findings, and material exhibits — pointed conclusively to the defendant’s guilt.

Justice, the court emphasized, must serve not only as punishment for wrongdoing but also as a deterrent to others who may contemplate similar acts. The judge described the incident as deeply disturbing and stressed that the law must take its full course in line with the provisions of the Criminal Code of Rivers State.

The case gained national attention in 2023 after the victim, Justina Otuene, a promising young woman, was declared missing before investigations led authorities to the circumstances surrounding her death. Okoligwe was subsequently arrested, interrogated, and charged with murder.

During the trial, state prosecutors presented a chain of evidence linking the defendant directly to the crime, while the defense struggled to counter the prosecution’s submissions. After months of hearings, adjournments, and witness testimonies, the court ruled that the prosecution’s case was airtight.

The sentencing has elicited strong reactions from the public, with many describing it as long-awaited justice for the victim and her grieving family. Human rights observers, while acknowledging the weight of the verdict, also reiterated ongoing debates around capital punishment in Nigeria.

With the judgment delivered, the next legal steps rest with the convict, who retains the right to appeal the sentence at the Court of Appeal and, subsequently, the Supreme Court.

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