Supreme Court To Rule On Rev King's Death Sentence

The appeal filed at the Supreme Court in Abuja by the General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, popularly called Reverend King, challenging the judgement of a Lagos High Court sentencing him to death by hanging, was today, December 10, fixed for Friday, February 26, 2016. 

Presided over by Justice Walter Onoghen, the apex court adjourned for judgment after entertaining arguments from counsel to prosecution and defence in the matter.

Lagos State Attorney general and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, who appeared before the Supreme Court alongside Mrs Idowu Alakija, the Director of Public Prosecution and other senior counsel in the state, urged the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the judgment of the lower courts.

Reverend King was arraigned on September 26, 2006 on a six-count charge of attempted murder and murder.

He pleaded not guilty to the allegation but was sentenced to death by the then Justice Joseph Oyewole of Lagos State High Court on January 11, 2007 for the murder of one of his church members, Ann Uzoh.

The Lagos state government had said that the convict poured petrol on the deceased and five other persons and that Uzoh died on August 2, 2006; 11 days after the act was perpetrated.

Reverend King was subsequently  convicted and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the attempted murder and death by hanging for the offence of murder.

He had gone ahead to challenge the verdict of the high court before the Court of Appeal in Lagos, but the appeal was thrown out.

Still not satisfied with the verdict of the Court of Appeal, Reverend King approached the Supreme Court, and urged that the judgment be upturned.

Meanwhile, a pastor in Kenya, named Paul Sanyangore, raised eyebrows recently when he distributed condoms to members of his congregation during a church service.