A High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has sentenced three men to death by hanging for their involvement in the murder of a pharmacist, Muenalo Sunday, in Khana Local Government Area.
The convicts—Confidence Kirinee, also known as General Ilia, Precious Mona, and Soniabari Sagha—were found guilty of conspiracy, cultism, kidnapping, and murder.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, Justice Augusta Chukwu ruled that the prosecution had successfully established the case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt. Another suspect, Loveday Legah, was sentenced to life imprisonment for belonging to a secret cult linked to the killing.
According to the court, the convicts were members of the ‘Iceland’ cult group and were responsible for the kidnapping and killing of the pharmacist on March 5, 2019, in Zaakpo community, Khana LGA.
Evidence presented during the trial, including confessional statements, revealed that the victim was murdered and dismembered, with parts of his body reportedly taken to a shrine in a nearby community.
Reacting to the judgment, Chief State Counsel in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Preye Ordu, praised the court for its detailed handling of the case, noting that the verdict would bring closure to the victim’s family.
The widow of the deceased, Pretty Neewa-Sunday, also expressed relief, saying the judgment had finally delivered justice for her late husband, who had been her primary source of care and support. She disclosed that she lives with sickle cell disease and described the loss as deeply painful.
She said the punishment handed down to the convicts reflects the consequences of their actions and offers some comfort after years of grief.
