On Tuesday, the Delta State High Court in Asaba handed down a death sentence to Inspector Ubi Ebri of the Nigeria Police Force for the murder of Mr. Onyeka Ibeh, a well-known phone dealer in the area.
Presiding over the case, Justice C. D. Diai convicted and sentenced Inspector Ebri to death for the fatal shooting of Ibeh. The incident occurred on April 5, 2023, when Ibeh and his wife were driving from Ugbolu to Asaba and were stopped by a police team for a search.
Despite stopping, Ibeh decided to move on after waiting for some time without being attended to. This action angered Inspector Ebri, who then fired into the vehicle, striking Ibeh in the head and killing him instantly. Miraculously, Ibeh’s wife, who was in the front seat, was unharmed.
The killing sparked significant protests from local youths who marched through the streets of Asaba and to the police headquarters, demanding justice.
The prosecution, led by Mr. E.H. Edema, a director in the Ministry of Justice, argued that Inspector Ebri was part of a police patrol conducting a stop-and-search operation on the Ugbolu-Asaba Road when the incident took place. Following the verdict, Edema remarked, “Today’s judgment is a landmark decision because justice has been served for the deceased and society at large.”
Mr. Ifeanyi Ibeh, the elder brother of the deceased, who attended the court session, also praised the court for delivering justice to his family.