In a landmark judgment, the Enugu State High Court delivered a verdict on Wednesday, finding Chiamaka Ifezue culpable in the tragic demise of Enugu’s esteemed make-up artist, Ijeoma Nweke.
Presiding over the case, Justice Kenneth Okpe pronounced the sentence: death by hanging, underscoring the gravity of Ifezue’s actions.
The prosecution meticulously presented evidence demonstrating that Ifezue, through coercion, compelled Nweke to ingest a lethal substance, resulting in her untimely death.
The lifeless body of the talented make-up artist was discovered in Maryland, a bustling enclave within the Enugu metropolis, on the somber Monday of November 16, 2020.
Nweke’s last known whereabouts trace back to Wednesday, November 11, when she departed home for a professional assignment. However, she mysteriously vanished thereafter.
The enigmatic circumstances surrounding her disappearance unfolded as her supposed client, withholding crucial details about the job, instructed her to alight at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Bus Stop. From there, she was to be ushered to the undisclosed venue.
Heightening suspicion, Nweke, sensing danger, clandestinely relayed her client’s phone number to her brother via SMS.
As hours passed with no contact from Nweke, grave concern mounted, raising fears of possible abduction. Friends and family mobilized in a frantic quest for her whereabouts until the chilling discovery of her lifeless form in the vicinity of Maryland.
In his ruling, Justice Okpe underscored the compelling evidence implicating the convict, highlighting how Ifezue enticed the deceased to her residence, where she administered the fatal poison, then surreptitiously disposed of her remains.
The verdict serves as a solemn reminder of the sanctity of human life and the swift justice meted out to those who infringe upon it.