A Bayelsa State High Court has sentenced a 28-year-old man, Joseph Fekala, to death by hanging for the murder of his 25-year-old girlfriend, Kate Oguoh.
Fekala was arrested in July 2022 after he killed Kate during an argument over N50,000 she had earlier given to him. The incident happened in Okaka, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
The court heard that after killing her, Fekala buried her body inside his room and was later arrested and charged to court.
After a three-year trial, Justice Ineikade Eradiri, found Fekala guilty of murder, improper handling of a corpse, and burying a body in an unapproved place. He was, however, cleared of the charge of stealing.
In his judgement, the judge rejected claims by the defence that Fekala was insane or acted in self-defence.
The court ruled that the evidence showed he was fully aware of his actions at the time of the crime.
The judge also refused the defence lawyer’s request to reduce the charge to manslaughter, stating that the law did not allow such a substitution based on the facts presented.
Before sentencing, Fekala begged the court for mercy, knelt in the dock, and apologised to the family of the deceased.
He described himself as a peace-loving person and pleaded for forgiveness.
Justice Eradiri said the law left him with no choice in cases of murder and thereafter sentenced Fekala to death by hanging, in line with the criminal laws of Bayelsa State.
Reacting to the judgement, the parents of the deceased, Mr. and Mrs. Theophilus Oguoh, said they were satisfied with the verdict and praised the judiciary for delivering justice.
