Man sentenced to life for killing friend at Abuja birthday party

A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory has sentenced Ekang Bassey to life in prison for killing his friend, Emeka Nnonifu, during a birthday party in Kubwa, Abuja.

The court announced the sentence in a statement on Thursday from the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh.

She mentioned that the judgment came after a detailed police investigation into the incident that took place on January 6, 2024.

The statement revealed that Bassey faced charges of culpable homicide, which can lead to the death penalty under Sections 220(a) and (b), and Section 221 of the Penal Code.

Police reports showed that Bassey and Nnonifu were friends. Nnonifu had organized the birthday party that Bassey attended.

“A disagreement between the two men escalated into a fight, leading to the tragic event,” the statement said.

The prosecution explained that Bassey hit Nnonifu by slapping and pushing him, which made Nnonifu fall and hit his head on the ground, causing serious injuries.

Court Findings

In the judgment for Suit No. FCT/HC/CR/330/2024, the court stated that even though Bassey’s actions led to Nnonifu’s death, the prosecution did not prove that he intended to kill or knew that his actions could result in death, as required under Section 221 of the Penal Code.

However, the court found Bassey guilty of culpable homicide under Section 224 of the Penal Code and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

“The court noted that the evidence presented by the prosecution showed that Bassey unlawfully caused Nnonifu’s death, which led to his conviction under Section 224 of the Penal Code, resulting in a life sentence,” the statement added.

The police command emphasized that this judgment shows their commitment to bringing offenders to justice while respecting the law and the rights of everyone involved.