Supreme court go Decide Rev. King Death sentence by February.

The judgement on the appeal filed by the General
Overseer, Christian Praying Assembly (CPA), Rev.
Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, a.k.a Reverend King,
challenging the judgement of a Lagos High Court
sentencing him to death by hanging, was on Thursday,
fixed for February 26, 2016, by the Supreme Court
sitting in Abuja.
.
The apex court presided over by Justice Walter
Onoghen adjourned for judgment after entertaining
arguments from counsel to prosecution and defence
in the matter.
Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for
Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, who appeared before
the Supreme Court alongside the Director of Public
Prosecution, Mrs Idowu Alakija and other Senior
Counsel in the State, urged the court to dismiss the
appeal and uphold the judgment of the lower courts.
.
Ezeugo was arraigned on September 26, 2006 on a
six-count charge of attempted murder and murder.
He pleaded not guilty to the allegation but was
sentenced to death by the then Justice Joseph
Oyewole of Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on January
11, 2007 for the murder of one of his church
members, Ann Uzoh.
.
Justice Oyewole is now a judge of the Appeal Court
sitting in the Calabar division.
The Lagos State Government had said that the convict
poured petrol on the deceased and five other
persons and that Uzoh died on August 2, 2006; 11
days after the act was perpetrated on her.
.
Specifically, Ezeugo was convicted and sentenced to
20 years imprisonment for the attempted murder
and death by hanging for the offence of murder.
Dissatisfied, Ezeugo challenged the verdict before the
Court of Appeal in Lagos, but the appeal was thrown
out.
.
“I hereby rule that the prosecution effectively
discharged the burden of proof on it. This appeal is
devoid of any basis and accordingly fails.
“The judgment of the High Court is hereby affirmed,
and the conviction imposed on the appellant, (which
is death by hanging) is also affirmed,” Justice Fatimo
Akinbami who read the judgement held.
.
The two other members of the panel of Justices,
Amina Augie and Ibrahim Saulawa concurred with the
lead judgement.
Again, Ezeugo not being satisfied with the verdict,
approached the Supreme Court, and urged that the
judgment be upturned.
.
The apex court has now reserved judgment till
February 26, 2016.