Killer of Enugu makeup artist sentenced to death

An Enugu State High Court on Wednesday sentenced Chiamaka Ifezue to death by hanging for the murder of a 27-year-old makeup artist, Ijeoma Nneke on 11th November, 2020.

While delivering his judgement in a two-hours sitting, Justice Okpe found Chiamaka guilty of killing the make-up artist by forcing her to drink a poisonous substance.

Meanwhile, Justice Okpe had on July 28, 2022, discharged Chukwuemeka Ifezue, Chiamaka’s brother who was arraigned for conspiracy.

The siblings were arraigned on two counts of conspiracy and murder before the court. They were accused of forcing the deceased to drink a poisonous substance which led to her death.

They allegedly dumped her body around the Maryland area of Enugu and poured a substance suspected to be acid on her body.

While discharging his case, Justice Okpe held that there was no evidence that Chukwuemeka participated in the crime.

Mr Ifezue was then discharged of the crime following a no case submission filed through his Counsel, Mr Chuma Oguejiofor.

During the trial, the court admitted in evidence police exhibits and Chigbo led the Prosecution Witness 7 (PW7), Sgt. Udeze Oguguo, a police officer, in evidence to tender the exhibits.

Oguguo, who is attached to the Independence Layout Police Division, Enugu, said that the exhibits were recovered at the scene of the alleged crime.

The exhibits included five pieces of 20 British pounds, an iPhone 7 plus with MTN SIM card, another iPhone device and a blackberry phone.

Others were a broken 9Mobile SIM card, itel phone, another black phone (no brand name), MTN SIM pack, makeup tools believed to belong to the deceased.

Also tendered in evidence was the key of a Toyota Matrix Scan with registration number JJJ410BJ which was allegedly used to move the dead body of the deceased from the scene of the crime to where it was dumped.

The police officer told the court that the car which had been parked at the Police Anti-kidnap Formation was no longer in good condition to be moved to the court.

He also tendered hard copies of the WhatsApp messages and text messages (SMS) the deceased had with her fiancé and girlfriend respectively while at the scene of the crime.

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