By Joy Kalu, Owerri
An advocate of protection of human rights who has been facilitating the case and the Executive Director of Grooming Leadership Network Amb Okey J-T Anyanwu informed that justice will be served.
In a document presented to the Investigator news, he said, though he is not quite at home with legal interpretation of the No-Case Submission, however, he has every reason to believe that it means the Suspect has submitted himself guilty, as he has nothing to defend himself with.
According to him, ‘I have great confidence in the Presiding Judge who has displayed intelligence and high wisdom since this case began, would certainly uphold justice. It is equally important to appreciate the judiciary as Social Architect that would not permit a criminal to escape unpunished or provide a clause which could promote criminality, especially with the prevailing and increasing level violent crimes in Nigeria in general and Imo state in particular’.
Amb Okey further buttressed that marshalling out a deserved justice and punishment against crimes and criminals are surest deterrents to continuous and increasing spate of killings, kidnappings, and other violent crimes that have bedeviled our nation. It is a common maxim that Justice for One is Justice for All.
It would be recalled that on Friday 15th of March 2024, the Owerri High Court in Imo State of Nigeria witnessed continued hearing on the murder of Late Engr. Ubanna Henry Iroegbu, the 38yrs graduate of Agricultural Engineering from Umuoma Onicha, in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA of Imo State. It would be recalled from previous reports on this criminal matter that witnessed during the prosecution proceedings, informed the court how this promising Late Engr. Ubanna, a 2019 Agricultural Engineering graduate of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike was gruesomely shot to death on the 28th of December, 2021. On that ill-fated day, he was said to had gone to Umueleagwa in the same Onicha clan of Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA, following a distress call from his junior sister Mrs Ugomma Judith Aguwa- Nee Iroegbu complained of an attack and threats to kill her by one Chief Michael Ugorji Aguwa an in-Law (brother to Ugomma’s father-in-law).
According to the police investigation report and confirmed by eye-witnesses’ account, Mrs. Ugomma Aguwa whose husband Mr. Celestine Aguwa is resident in United Kingdom, came home from her base in Port Harcourt for the 2021 Christmas celebration. In the morning hours of that 28th day of December 2021, Chief Michael Ugorji Aguwa, an uncle to her husband, attacked and further threaten to shoot her to death when next he sets eyes on her, for a yet to be justified reason.
Late Engr Ubanna Henry Iroegbu, who went on an arbitration mission to Chief Michael’s house, ended up a dead corpse out of gun shot inside the suspect’s compound. Besides his earlier threats, eye-witnesses, including Chief Ugorji’s personal guest and his brother, clearly indicts him as the murderer. These accusing fingers are in addition to other accounts testifying of seeing Chief Michael Ugorji Aguwa openly shooting sporadically to scare away onlookers and sympathizers from apprehending him or rescuing the dying Engr. Ubanna Henry Iroegbu.
“Following an earlier closure of prosecution to enable the suspect commence his defense, resumption of proceedings on that Friday 15th of March 2024 witnessed the Defense Counsel presenting and adopting a ‘No Case Address’. The Counsel insisted that the presiding Judge should discard and consider all accusations and witnesses against his client (Suspect) in respect of Late Engr Ubanna, Henry Iroegbu’s death as mere speculations”.
“According to the Defense Counsel, who did not deny cross-examining the witnesses, the Suspect (Chief Michael Aguwa) being at the point and time of the incident with a gun and shooting as presented by the witnesses, implies no clear evidence that the suspect shot directly at Late Ubanna or was responsible for his death. It is therefore mere speculation that having a gun and shooting makes his client the murderer of the deceased, Defense Counsel submitted.
The Prosecuting Counsel in his response, reminded the court the all accounts from eye witnesses as presented in the court during prosecution, clearly pointed accusing fingers on Michael Ugorji Aguwa as being responsible for Late Ubanna’s untimely death”.
“According to the Prosecutor, this is with particular reference to PW-1 who was a personal guest to the suspect and was physically present in his (suspect’s) house when and where this murder was committed. This witness presented enough eye witness account to convince court that the suspect was the only person holding a gun within his premises and at the time of the incident”. He equally substantiated his witness by stated that he saw the suspect bring out his gun and from beside him (witness) shot. This position according to the Prosecuting Counsel is collaborated by other witnesses who saw the suspect with the gun and shooting sporadically to scare people away after the deceased has fallen from the gun shoot and was bleeding.
“Further clear evidence was from Mr Edmund Aguwa a senior brother to the suspect, who personally admitted directing Late Engr. Ubanna Iroegbu to his younger brother’s house and heard his younger brother (Chief Michael Aguwa) ordering Late Ubanna to leave his compound or he (Michael) would shoot him (Ubanna) to death and nobody is capable of challenging his (Michael’s) action. Mr Edmund Aguwa further testified that the suspect has in the last decade being very notorious for brandishing his gun publicly and always when provoked to any slightest level, would threaten to shot someone”.
“According to Mr. Edmund, he personally as his senior brother, has been living as a fugitive in his own compound after this his younger brother (Michael Ugorji Aguwa) has in December 2019, walked up to him (Edmund) before his (Edmund’s) wife, children and grandchildren and warned him to prepare himself and put his house in order, with a stern threat that he (Michael) would in December 2021 shot him (Edmund) to death and off-set the cost of the burial and would entertain no challenge from any quarter.”
“Buttressing why the suspect has a case to answer, the Prosecutor reminded the court that the ‘No-Case Address’ by the Defense Counsel should be demised as derailing the cause of Justice, considering that it is tantamount to rubbishing all the testimonies from eye-witnesses against the suspect in the proceedings before the Judge”.
“Equally, a No-case submission amounts to declaring that a civilian should freely possess gun, publicly use same to threaten and harass fellow citizen. This is most worrisome with the high level of insecurity in the country. Moreover, in this particular case there was an earlier threat to kill with a gun by the suspect according to witnesses, later this same suspect had a visitor die by gun shot inside his compound, there is therefore enough cause to the case for the suspect to answer before the law”.
“This No-Case Address should vehemently be discarded as unacceptable, considering that there are no contradictions between the incident, witnesses and evidences presented before court”.
The deceased was confirmed to have visited the suspect’s house on that 28th of December! 2021, died of gun-shot inside the suspect’s compound with only the suspect being in possession of a gun at that point and time of the murder. This is confirmed by with the witness accounts of two medical experts certifying that the deceased died as a result of gun shot through his scapula or shoulder’, the Prosecuting Counsel submitted.
According to Amb. Anyanwu, the Presiding Judge at this point called for closure of further arguments, reminding both Counsels that they have all made written submissions that he (The Judge) needs to study. He therefore adjourned the matter till 6th of June, 2024 for further deliberation and ruling.
The general public, Ahiara Mbaise Catholic Community, Onicha clan and other ardent followers of this high profile murder case, which has been on since January 2022 would patiently wait for further updates come June 6th, 2024. Certainly, so many questions would meet answers before the Presiding Judge when both the Prosecuting and Defense Counsels meet on the next adjourned date.
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Meanwhile, when questioned on their expectation from the proceedings so far, the bereaved family expressed that this murder case is a very straight one, with the murder clearly identified and they have very strong faith in God to grant them justice.
