This is what happens when death row becomes a place of life. A full-page congratulatory communication published in THISDAY on February 27 was a remarkable reminder that Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, better known as Rev. King, has not been hanged despite a Supreme Court ruling.
Under the banner, “Congratulations to our Daddy G. O.”, the communication began: “We the entire members of St. Faith Women (The Daughters of the Kingdom of God) heartily rejoice with our lovely Daddy G.O. His Holiness, The Most Honourable Dr. Rev. King, Founder/General Overseer of CPA Church Worldwide on the occasion of his birthday which comes up today, Sunday the 26th day of February 2017.” This happened because King has not been hanged.
The advertisers continued: “Daddy, you are the light of the world. A nation without you is in total darkness. Daddy, you are a wonderful counselor, prince of peace, a great deliverer, our redeemer, a hope for the down-trodden. You have proven to us beyond reasonable doubt that truly salvation belongeth unto the Lord and your blessing is upon your people.” This happened because King has not been hanged.
Things happen when a death row convict is still alive a year after what was supposed to be the final judicial pronouncement on his case. More things were said about King in the advert space: “Widows, widowers, barren, the sorrowful have found joy, freedom, salvation from you. You alone singlehandedly taught us how to live a holy and righteous life. Barren in our midst have conceived and are mothers in their respective homes. You have delivered so many of us from inability to get married. So many of us whom you delivered from mammy-water group, ogbanje group, witches and wizards groups are happy today because we located you. Some of us who were bound with chains, feathers, shackles, handcuffs, spiritual iron belt of Satan, etc. have been freed from our respective prisons where Satan kept us for decades. Today, we are enjoying our freedom.”
Perhaps not unexpectedly, the promoters got more enthusiastic as the promotion progressed. They said: “Era of poverty, suffer-suffer have become a thing of the past in our lives. So many of us you healed from cancers, fallopian tube blockages, moving objects, bleeding, HIV/AIDS, barrenness, fibroid, etc. are blessed to have met with our maker face to face.” This deification of King happened because he has not been hanged.
What followed was straight out of the realm of unreality: “Daddy, it has been proven beyond measure that you are 100% innocent of the conspiracy levelled against you. So many hidden truths have been exposed according to your messages. No amount of gossips, scandals, hatred, can deter us from following you.” This attempted revision of reality happened because King has not been hanged.
How did King become a death row prisoner? King’s trial began at the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on September 26, 2006. The cruel cleric was accused of the murder of a member of his church, Ann Uzoh, and attempted murder of five other members. He was said to have set the deceased and the others ablaze after bathing them with petrol for alleged immoral behaviour.
Uzoh died from her burns on August 2, 2006, 11 days after the savagery. The trial judge, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole (now a Justice of the Court of Appeal), who delivered his judgement on January 11, 2007, found King guilty and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment for attempted murder. In addition, King got a death sentence for murder. The Court of Appeal backed the death sentence. The Supreme Court, by its supreme judgement on February 26, 2016, supported the supreme sentence of death by hanging.
Murderers are penalised not only for murder; they are also penalised so that others may not become murderers. It is thought-provoking that a report said: “During the first church service after the Supreme Court verdict at the Lagos headquarters at Ajao Estate, Pastor Ifeanyi King, who preached, said: “Our G. O. (General Overseer), the Most Holiness, Rev. King, is coming back. He said he would come back and we believe the words of his mouth. We believe his report that he is coming back. Everything happening now we know is the handiwork of witches and wizards. Soon a new story will emerge.”
Perhaps a new story is emerging, considering the content of the communication to mark King’s latest birthday on February 26. Indeed, King’s promoters need to clarify their claim: “it has been proven beyond measure that you are 100% innocent of the conspiracy levelled against you.”
Curiously, King may live longer than his death sentence intended because, according to a report quoting a Prisons spokesman, there are no fewer than 1,639 inmates awaiting execution. This overpopulation is inexcusable. As long as the death penalty is accommodated by the country’s justice system, there is no justification for keeping condemned convicts waiting. It is unclear how long these death row convicts have been waiting; it is anti-justice for the political authorities to perpetuate their wait.
It is complex enough to arrive at a death decision, and the complexity should not be further complicated by last-minute indecision when it comes to executing the decision. If judges are able to reach a death decision without the interference of extra-judicial considerations, the political authorities should be able to carry out the decision without the hindrance of extra-legal thoughts.
If murder is the ultimate crime and death is the ultimate punishment, then ultimate crime deserves ultimate punishment. It is important to bring closure to this human drama of inhumanity. The longer King is allowed to live after the ultimate judicial decision, the longer it will take to close the murder case.
It is interesting that King’s promoters called him “The man of the moment, every moment and the final moment.” They said emphatically in the birthday communication: “KING FOREVER! LIVE FOREVER!” But it is well known that no man lives forever, particularly a man on death row; and King’s promoters should know that.
What’s the point of a death sentence that is not put into effect? What happened because King has not been hanged could happen again. More things could happen because King has not been hanged. Why has King not been hanged?
Tag: Chukwuemeka Ezeugo
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Rev King: Birthday on death row
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Supreme Court affirms death sentence on Rev King
The Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction and death sentence handed to the General Overseer of Lagos-based Christian Praying Assembly, Chukwuemeka Ezeugo a.k.a Reverend King.
He was first convicted and sentenced to death on charges of attempted murder and murder by the High Court of Lagos State on January 11, 2007.
He was found guilty of setting ablaze six members of his church in 2006, one of who died later from the effect of the fire.
The Court of Appeal, Lagos division affirmed the judgment of the High Court in its judgment on February 1, 2013.
Justice Sylvester Ngwutan who read the lead judgment of the unanimous decision of a five-man bench of the Supreme Court, noted that facts in the case was akin to what could found in horror movies.
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NNL Super Four: Ezeugo blames Abia Warriors’ performance on fatigue
The Technical Adviser of Abia Warriors FC of Umuahia, Emeka Ezeugo, on Wednesday in Abuja blamed fatigue for his team’s unimpressive performance against FC Taraba of Jalingo.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abia Warriors had defeated FC Taraba 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw.
NAN reports that Peter Onyekachi of Abia Warriors had opened scores for his team in the 7th minute, while Bobby Abel of Taraba FC drew his team level in the 24th minute.
The victory at the FIFA Goal Project pitch of the Abuja National Stadium gave them a place in the final of the 2013 Nigeria National League (NNL) Super Four Championship. They will now meet Giwa FC of Jos on Thursday at the same venue in the final match, after the Jos side had beaten Crown FC of Ogbomoso to qualify also.
Ezeugo however said he was unimpressed by the victory because he had expected his team to play better to win the game.
“They did not play as much as I would have liked them to play. They did not play as well as they usually do. The poor showing was due to fatigue. We got to Abuja last (Tuesday) night after a 10-hour trip. So, you do not expect the guys to play well. They played like they had bricks tied to their legs,” the former Super Eagles player said.
He however said he expected them to do better when they meet Giwa FC in the final match on Thursday.
Speaking also, coach Peter Komi of FC Taraba however attributed his team’s unimpressive performance to poor preparation. He said he had only four players to train with when the team opened its camp.
The coach expressed hopes that the team would perform better when they meet Crown FC in the third-place match on Thursday.
“We did not start training on time. I had only four players on ground. Others reported late to camp. But I was not expecting them to perform a magic anyway. Nevertheless, we will ensure that we win the third-place match,” he said.
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Appeal Court upholds Rev King’s death sentence
The Court of Appeal, Lagos, on Friday upheld the judgment of a Lagos High Court which convicted the General Overseer, Christian Praying Assembly, Chukwuemeka Ezeugo and sentenced him to death.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Ezeugo, popularly known as Rev. King, who was charged with six-counts bordering on attempted murder and murder, was convicted by Justice Joseph Oyewole on January 11, 2007.
Oyewole sentenced Ezeugo to death by hanging, for the murder of a church member, Ann Uzoh.
Ezeugo was said to have poured petrol on the deceased for an offence which he classified as “acts of fornication,” and set her ablaze.
The convict, through his counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, had, however, filed an appeal on November 5, 2012 raising a plethora of issues for determination and urging the court to upturn the verdict of the lower court.
Justice Fatima Akinbami, in a lead judgment at the appellate court, held that all issues raised by Ezeugo in his appeal, failed.
“This appeal is devoid of any basis and accordingly fails.
“The judgment of the High Court is hereby affirmed, and the conviction imposed on the appellant, is also affirmed” Akinbami ruled.
She said that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and faulted an alibi raised by Ojo that the appellant was not at the scene of the offence.
According to her, the evidence of some prosecution witnesses pinned the appellant to the scene of the offence, throwing out arguments by Ojo that the evidence was tainted.
Akinbami said that even the evidence of a tainted witness is admissible, once it is material to the case, noting that all evidence adduced by the prosecution witnesses were unanimous.
She said that they all pointed to the fact that the appellant actually used matches and petrol to set the deceased ablaze.
“Each of the prosecution witnesses gave evidence as to how the victim was beaten and burnt by the appellant.
“To my mind, there is no contradiction whatsoever and even if there were, it is immaterial, since all the witnesses were unanimous,” she said.
According to Akinbami, the evidence of some doctors also showed that the deceased died as a result of the burns.
She held that the trial judge was at liberty to write his judgment in his own style, provided it sets out the issue for determination, shows a clear understanding of the facts as stated and arrives at a logical conclusion.
The judge condemned the attitude of some pastors toward their congregation, noting that the circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased were rather bizarre.