The Ebonyi State High Court, Ohaukwu Judicial Division, has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the murder of 26-year-old Chinonso Elom, popularly known as Oscar. The verdict was delivered on Tuesday, May 14, 2025, following a trial that found the defendants guilty of conspiracy and murder.

 

The incident occurred on February 5, 2023, in Ngbo community, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, where both the victim and the convicted individuals hailed from.

 

The convicted men—Anthony Elom (aka Tidy), Chibueze Onwe (aka Chief oo), Chukwuemeka Ugah (aka Parity), and Uchenna Odono, a relative of a prominent council official—were found to have conspired in the premeditated killing. A fifth suspect, ThankGod Onwe, remains at large.

 

According to eyewitness accounts, the group, reportedly linked to a secret cult, arrived at the scene in a branded Sienna vehicle belonging to a known political party. They confronted Chinonso near his business premises close to Okwo Ngbo Main Market, demanding information about his younger brother with whom they allegedly had a conflict.

 

When Chinonso failed to provide the information, they attempted to force him into the vehicle. Upon his resistance, Anthony Elom shot him in the head with a shotgun, killing him instantly. The brutal killing sparked outrage and a large-scale protest by local youths who demanded immediate justice.

 

Four of the perpetrators were arrested shortly after the incident, while the fifth suspect evaded capture. They were charged to court by the state for conspiracy and murder.

 

In her judgment, Justice Esther Otah ruled that the prosecution, led by Barr. Oluchi Ibiam of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Justice, had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. Eyewitness testimonies and forensic evidence—including a ballistic match between the murder weapon and the bullet retrieved from the victim—were instrumental in the conviction.

 

Justice Otah emphasized that despite only one of the men pulling the trigger, all four shared a common criminal intent and were therefore equally culpable. She pronounced the death sentence, stating:

 

“Anthony Elom, aka Tidy; Chibueze Onwe, aka Chief oo; Chukwuemeka Ugah, aka Parity; and Uchenna Odono—you shall be hanged by the neck until you die. May God have mercy on your souls.”

 

 

 

Defense counsel, Barr. Chinedu Uwa, expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and confirmed plans to appeal the judgment. Meanwhile, the prosecuting team, along with other legal observers from Ohaukwu, hailed the decision as a fair and just outcome.

 

Reacting to the verdict, the President of the Amalgamated Ngboejeogu Youths, Barr. Michael Odo, expressed mixed feelings. While he acknowledged the ruling as a fulfillment of the community’s demand for justice, he described it as a sobering moment reflecting societal decay.

 

“This judgment is not a cause for celebration. It is a painful reminder of what we’ve lost to crime and cultism,” Odo said. “These young men could have contributed meaningfully to society but chose a path of violence.”

 

 

 

He praised the youths and leaders of the Ngbo community for their unity in seeking justice and condemned cultism in strong terms, calling for renewed efforts to eradicate it from the area.

 

“Today’s judgment should serve as a stern warning to others still involved in such vices. The time for change in Ngbo is now,” he added.