Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
An Anambra State High Court sitting in Ogbaru has sentenced a vigilance operative, Onyeka Eze, to death by hanging for the murder of a phone repairer, Anayo Ugbo, following a violent confrontation at the Shoe Site Market in Okpoko on May 5, 2022. The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice Charles Okaa, Administrative Judge of the Ogbaru Judicial Division, concluded a trial that examined the events leading to Ugbo’s death after he was allegedly pushed from the third floor of a building used by a local security outfit.
According to the court proceedings, the incident began when Eze, who claimed to be a vigilance operative operating within the market, summoned Ugbo from his phone repair shop. The deceased, who worked as a mobile phone technician at the busy Shoe Site Market in Okpoko, was reportedly asked to accompany the defendant to meet their superior officer. At the time, Ugbo was repairing a customer’s mobile phone and reportedly requested additional time to finish the task before leaving his shop.
The prosecution told the court that Eze insisted Ugbo immediately accompany him to the security office located in a three-storey building owned by a local vigilance outfit operating in the market. During the interaction, Eze also reportedly instructed the customer whose phone was being repaired, identified as Joshua Igwe, to follow them to the office.
The court heard that upon arrival at the building, the vigilance boss whom Eze claimed Ugbo was supposed to meet was not present. Ugbo then reportedly asked to return to his shop to complete the phone repair job he had been working on before being summoned. However, the request was allegedly rejected by the defendant.
Prosecutors explained that Eze demanded that Ugbo pay compensation over a previous altercation that had occurred in the market. According to testimony presented during the trial, the defendant accused Ugbo of involvement in the earlier fight and insisted that he should pay for damages related to the incident. Ugbo reportedly denied any participation in the dispute and maintained that he had no connection to the fight.
The prosecution further told the court that the disagreement escalated after Ugbo refused to comply with the demand. According to the account presented by the state counsel, Eze became enraged by the victim’s response and began physically assaulting him inside the building.
During the altercation, Eze allegedly pushed Ugbo from the third floor of the building. The victim reportedly fell to the ground and sustained severe head injuries from the fall. Witnesses at the scene rushed to assist him before he was transported to a medical facility for treatment.
Ugbo was taken to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, where doctors attempted to treat his injuries. Despite medical intervention, he succumbed to the injuries two days later.
During the trial, the prosecution presented four witnesses who testified about the circumstances surrounding the incident. Among them was an eyewitness who was present during the confrontation in the building, as well as the medical doctor who conducted the post-mortem examination on the deceased. The doctor reportedly confirmed that the cause of death was consistent with the severe injuries sustained from the fall.
A police inspector involved in the investigation also testified before the court, detailing the findings of law enforcement authorities after the incident was reported. The officer explained how investigators gathered statements, examined the scene and compiled evidence that was later presented during the trial.
Another key witness in the case was Sunday Ugbo, the deceased’s brother. He told the court that before his death, Anayo Ugbo recounted the events leading to the assault in the presence of the eyewitness. According to the testimony, the victim described how he was summoned by Eze, taken to the security office and subsequently attacked during the confrontation.
Throughout the proceedings, the defendant maintained that he was innocent and denied responsibility for Ugbo’s death. Eze claimed he did not push the victim from the building and insisted he was not responsible for the fatal injuries.
However, the court examined evidence presented by the prosecution and evaluated testimonies from the witnesses, including the eyewitness account and medical findings. The judge also addressed the defendant’s claim of being a vigilance operative.
Justice Charles Okaa noted in the judgment that the defendant failed to demonstrate that he was legitimately employed as a vigilance operative in the market. The court observed that no credible evidence had been presented to confirm his official status within the security outfit he claimed to represent.
In delivering the verdict, the judge concluded that the prosecution had successfully established the elements of the offence of murder beyond a reasonable doubt. The court ruled that the evidence and testimonies presented during the trial clearly indicated that the defendant’s actions directly led to the victim’s death.
Following the finding of guilt, Justice Okaa sentenced Onyeka Eze to death by hanging, the maximum punishment prescribed under Nigerian law for the offence of murder.
The judgment has drawn attention to the role and regulation of informal security operatives in many Nigerian markets and communities. Vigilance groups are commonly used in various parts of the country to support local security efforts, but concerns have often been raised about the conduct and oversight of individuals operating under such arrangements.
Stone Reporters note that legal experts frequently emphasize the need for clear accountability and regulation of local security outfits to prevent abuses of power and protect civilians from unlawful actions.
For the family of Anayo Ugbo, the court’s decision brings a legal conclusion to a case that began with a routine workday at the market but ended in tragedy. The case remains a stark reminder of how disputes and abuse of authority can escalate into fatal violence.
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