Cynthia Osokogu: 4 Years After Court Finally Delivers Verdicts

Justice Olabisi Akinlade of a Lagos state High Court sitting at Igbosere will tomorrow, deliver judgment in the case of four men who were charged with the murder of Cynthia Osokogu. Justice Akinlade had on January 12, 2017, during the adoption of the final written addresses by all the counsel in the case fixed March 23, for judgment on the case. Osokogu was allegedly murdered on July 22, 2012, at Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate, Festac Town, Lagos, by her Facebook lover.

The defendants are Okwumo Nwabufo, 33, Olisaeloka Ezike, 23, Orji Osita, 33, and Ezike Nonso, 25. They are standing trial on a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, stealing, recklessness, negligence and possession of stolen goods, preferred against them by Lagos State. 

It will be recalled that the murder trial began on February 8, 2013, with the state calling the former receptionist, Ifeyinwa Njebu, at Cosmilla Suites and Hotel, Festac, who was on duty on the day of the incident as the first witness. Counsel for Orji and Nonso had requested bail for their clients and Justice Akinlade had granted bail to Orji with two sureties who must deposit N500,000 each.

She had ordered that one of the sureties must be a serving Director at Ecobank Plc and the other a licensed pharmacist. For Nonso, Olisaeloka’s younger brother, the judge granted him bail of N2 million, with two sureties, adding that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not less than Grade Level 14 while the other must be a property owner with a genuine Certificate of Occupancy. She said that the sureties must be resident in Lagos, with evidence of tax payment dating back to three years.