The Delta State High Court in Asaba has sentenced Inspector Ubi Ebri of the Delta State Police Command to death for the murder of a phone dealer, Mr. Onyeka Ibeh.
On Tuesday, Justice C.D. Diai presided over the court and convicted Ebri for the fatal shooting of Ibeh in Asaba on April 5, 2023.
Ibeh, a well-known phone dealer in Asaba, was killed at a police checkpoint on Ugbolu Road in the presence of his pregnant wife. The couple had been flagged down by a police team for a routine search.
After waiting in his car without being attended to, Ibeh decided to drive away. Inspector Ebri then opened fire, hitting Ibeh in the head and killing him instantly.
The incident sparked protests by youths who took to the streets of Asaba and marched to the police headquarters, demanding justice for the slain dealer.
The prosecution, led by Mr. E.H. Edema, a director in the Ministry of Justice, revealed that the defendant was part of the police patrol team conducting the stop-and-search exercise on the day of the incident.
Speaking to journalists following the verdict, Edema stated, “Today’s judgement is a landmark judgement because justice has been served in this case to the deceased and society at large.”
