Nigerian sentenced for life in Liberia

  1. Posted on Friday 31 July 2009 - 08:22
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    Henry Flomo, AfricaNews reporter in Monrovia, Liberia
    A Nigerian youth has been sentenced for life in prison in Liberia for murdering one Joshua Teajay Dennis, a young Liberian. Chukwudi IFejika, was found guilty by a 12-member empanelled jury at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia Tuesday.
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    He now spends the rest of life at the Monrovia Central Prison Compound or a place of convenience by the Liberian government as evoked by the court’s Presiding Judge, Emmanuel k. Ware, in his final judgment.

    In March this year, Ifejika killed Dennis after stabbing him in the chest and left shoulder several times with a long kitchen knife during a fight that erupted between them at the Big Apple night Club in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville over a girl.

    In his final judgment, Judge Ware told the court the verdict of the empanelled jury was consistent with the weight of the evidence adduced during the trial, thus the verdict should not be disturbed. Both sides provided three witnesses each who testified during the proceeding.

    Judge Ware further affirmed and confirmed the guilty verdict of murder of the trial jury in keeping with the New Penal Law on Sub-Chapter A, Criminal Homicide section 14.1 (a) and (b).

    The young Nigerian, when arraigned in court in March, pleaded not guilty to the charge. He told the judge and jury he was mistaken for someone else who committed the crime and fled the scene after he (Chukwudi) had gone to intervene in a fight between a fellow Nigerian and a Liberian boy. He said he was even injured on his left shoulder during the fist fight.

    Ifejika was charged and indicted for murder by the Grand Inquest of Montserrado County on March 8, 2009. He was represented by Cllr. J. Bayorgah Junions, a renowned Liberian lawyer, while prosecution was led by Atty. S. Witness Doyen. Meanwhile, Cllr. Junions promised to appeal to the Supreme Court of Liberia, sitting in its October Term.

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