An Abakaliki Chief Magistrate Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Mrs. Nnenna Ogodo, has remanded four suspects for allegedly subjecting two widows and a man to jungle justice through a gruesome trial by ordeal in Ebonyi State.
The accused persons — Egwuonwu Jonah, Sunday Obasi, Ogonnaya Eze (also known as Boss), and Godwin Nwokoro-Obi — were arraigned alongside others now at large, on a 10-count charge marked MAB/181c/2025. The charges include conspiracy, attempted murder, acts intended to cause grievous harm, armed robbery, malicious damage, and trial by ordeal.
According to the charge sheet made available to newsmen, the incident occurred on February 21, 2025, at Mebi-Okpa, Okposi in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, within the jurisdiction of the court.
The suspects were accused of unlawfully attempting to kill Nnenna Donatus Nwinyinya (female) and Jonah Chuku (male) by beating them with sticks, bottles, machetes, and other dangerous weapons. They allegedly paraded Nwinyinya half-naked, barefooted around the community—an offence punishable under Section 320(1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 33 Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
In one of the most shocking aspects of the case, the charge sheet states that the accused, with intent to maim or disfigure, unlawfully forced the victims to drink contaminated water used in washing the armpit of the corpse of one Innocent Simon (male). They also allegedly obtained congealed blood and mucous from the deceased’s nose, ground it into a concoction with native kola nut, and administered it to the victims. This act is punishable under Section 332(5) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. 33 Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State.
The suspects also reportedly destroyed property belonging to Nnenna Donatus Nwinyinya, including five Alumaco windows, two iron doors, and one wooden door — offences punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code.
Further damages were said to include the willful destruction of chairs, beds, plates, pots, three houses, and cartons of beer. The suspects also allegedly burnt one Hajous Suzuki motorcycle belonging to Jonah Chuku — all valued yet to be estimated.
The charge sheet also detailed how the accused and their accomplices presided over a trial by ordeal where they accused the victims of being responsible for the death of Innocent Simon and subjected them to inhumane treatment, thereby violating Section 208 of the Criminal Code Law.
Following the reading of the charges, the presiding magistrate declined jurisdiction over the matter due to its severity and complexity. She subsequently adjourned the case to May 9, 2025, for compliance by the Office of the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
