A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has sentenced four persons to death by hanging for the gruesome killing of Bako Angbashim, the former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada East Police Division.
Justice Sika Aprioku delivered the judgment after finding the defendants guilty of conspiracy, murder, armed robbery, and membership of a secret cult group. The court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The convicts are:
- Robinson Sonabari, described during trial as a native doctor
- Bright Okparawo
- Precious Amaeze, also known as Selina
- Loveday Jack, popularly called Ragged Excess
They were sentenced to be hanged by the neck until pronounced dead, in accordance with Nigerian law on capital offences.
SP Angbashim was killed in September 2023 when he and his team were ambushed while returning from an operation in the Odemude community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State. The attack shocked the state and triggered intensified security operations in the area.
During the trial, the prosecution presented witness testimonies and material evidence linking the accused to the ambush. The court ruled that their actions were deliberate and coordinated, leading to the unlawful killing of the senior police officer.
In addition to the four death sentences, another defendant, Samuel Nwadinma, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy, while one other accused person was discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Some co-accused persons were also discharged after serving statutory jail terms related to connected offences.
The verdict has been described by police authorities as a significant step toward justice for the slain officer. Legal procedure, however, requires that death sentences in Nigeria undergo confirmation through the appellate process before any execution can be carried out.
The judgment brings to a close one of Rivers State’s most high-profile criminal trials in recent years, reinforcing the judiciary’s stance against violent attacks on law enforcement officers.
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