The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced on Ekang Bassey to life imprisonment over murder of his friend, Emeka Nnonifu.
Ekang was reported to have on the 6th of January 2024, caused the death of Nnonifu during his birthday at a hotel in the Kubwa area of the FCT.
As contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the FCT Police Command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, Ekang was sentenced by the presiding judge, Hon. Justice M. S. Idris.
The defendant, according to Adeh, was initially charged by the Command with the offence of culpable homicide punishable with death, contrary to Section 220(a) and (b) of the Penal Code Law and punishable under Section 221 of the same Law, following the conclusion of a thorough investigation into the incident.
The police recounted how a disagreement which escalated into a fight between Ekang, the birthday celebrant, and the Nnonifu had ended up becoming deadly.
“The evidence before the Court revealed that the defendant and the deceased were friends.
“The defendant had organised a birthday celebration which the deceased attended, and a disagreement between both men subsequently escalated into a physical confrontation, culminating in the fatal incident.
“During the trial, the Prosecution led evidence establishing that the defendant assaulted the deceased by slapping and pushing him, causing him to fall and strike his head on a concrete surface.
“The deceased sustained fatal injuries and was subsequently confirmed dead.” The police stated.
In its judgment delivered in Suit No. FCT/HC/CR/330/2024, the Court held that although the unlawful act of the defendant caused the death of the deceased, the requisite intention or knowledge necessary to sustain a conviction under Section 221 of the Penal Code was not established beyond reasonable doubt.
The Court, however, held that the evidence adduced by the prosecution established that the defendant unlawfully caused the death of the deceased and consequently convicted him of culpable homicide under Section 224 of the Penal Code, sentencing him to life imprisonment.