Nearly two years after, suspects in Ozubulu church attack where 13 worshipers were killed regain freedom

An Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has
discharge and acquitted the suspects in the
killing of 13 worshipers at St. Philips Catholic
Church, Ozubulu, in Ekwusigo Local Government
Area of the state.
The mass killing took place on August 6, 2017.
In a three-hour judgement, Justice Fidelis
Aniukwu said the prosecution counsel was
unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt the
culpability of the defendants, Chinedu Akpunonu
and Onyebuchi Mbanefo, concerning the crime.
The court had, in December 2018, discharged
two out of the four suspects arraigned before it
on the matter. Justice Aniukwu said the
prosecution witnesses could not “provide any
evidence linking the defendants to the murder as
alleged.”
Reacting, the defence counsel, Festus Kayemo,
SAN, described the judgement as “a landmark”
in view of the accelerated hearing accorded to
it. Keyamo said, “It’s the prosecution’s right to
appeal the judgement. But from what I witnessed
in the court today, it will be very difficult for the
appeal court to upturn the judgement.”
Speaking to newsmen, one of the freed suspects,
Chinedu Akpunonu, who was full of gratitude,
thanked God for vindicating him from what he
called “an attempt by some persons to smear”
his reputation. He said he had forgiven his
traducers, urging them to join hands to ensure
that peace returns to the Ozubulu community.
He said, “from the beginning, I told my people
that I was not involved in the killing. But the Lord
has given me victory as a proof that I’m very
innocent. I didn’t know I was very important to
my people until I saw excitement in the faces of
the crowd that came to court. I’ve already
forgiven all the hands that put me in prison. I
thank those that stood by me throughout my
travail. I also thank my lawyer and the judge for
delivering a fair and sound judgement.”
The prosecution counsel, Mr. Jay Jay Ezeuko,
SAN, in his reaction said he would determine the
next step after he might have received a copy of
the judgement.