Court sentences man, accomplice to death for killing mother over witchcraft claim
A High Court sitting in Kwale, Delta State, has sentenced a 44-year-old man, Lucky Edozien, to death by hanging for the murder of his 70-year-old mother over allegations of witchcraft.
- From Simon Utebor, Asaba
A High Court sitting in Kwale, Delta State, has sentenced a 44-year-old man, Lucky Edozien, to death by hanging for the murder of his 70-year-old mother over allegations of witchcraft.
Also sentenced to death is an accomplice, Amaechi Enuebuka, a commercial motorcyclist, whom Edozien hired to help him in carrying out the crime.
The prosecution, led by an Assistant Director in the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Catherine Onoberhie-Oberuomo, told the court that Edozien conspired with Enuebuka to kill his mother, whom he accused of being responsible for his misfortunes through alleged witchcraft.
According to the prosecution, Edozien claimed that a ring worn by his mother was the source of his hardship.
He subsequently enlisted Enuebuka, promising to buy him musical instruments in exchange for his assistance.
Enuebuka’s role was to lure the deceased’s daughter, Mrs. Paulinah Okonji, out of the house under the pretence of negotiating the purchase of scrap materials located behind the residence.
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This diversion enabled Edozien to gain access to his mother’s room, where he strangled her.
Despite the absence of an eyewitness and the refusal of Mrs. Okonji to testify, the prosecution successfully relied on the “Doctrine of Last Seen” alongside police investigative evidence to establish the guilt of the defendants.
The case, marked HCK/54C/2023 – State vs. Lucky Edozien & Amaechi Enuebuka, was concluded on March 25, 2026, with the court finding both men guilty.
Delivering judgment, Justice D.C. Maidoh held that the defendants were responsible for the killing, which occurred on April 13, 2023, at Umudike Quarters, Ossissa, in the Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The court ruled that their actions contravened Section 319 of the Criminal Code Law (Cap C21, Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State, 2006), and accordingly sentenced them to death by hanging.
