The General Overseer of Alter of Solution and Healing Assembly in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor, has been sentenced to death by a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt for the murder of three individuals, including his choir mistress, who was pregnant with his child.

In the murder trial verdict delivered yesterday, Justice S. Benson, the presiding judge, declared that the evidence presented and the confessional statement made by Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor substantiated his guilt in the killings.

It was determined that Pastor Okoroafor murdered his church’s choir mistress, who he had impregnated, as well as her friend, Chigozie Ezenwa, and her daughter, Christabel Ezenwa.

Justice Benson, after reviewing the prosecution’s case, concluded that Pastor Okoroafor was indeed responsible for the murders. As a result, the judge issued a sentence of death, stipulating that the pastor be executed either by hanging until his death or through lethal injection, a method known for its quicker effect.

On December 17, 2018, the Rivers Police Command apprehended Pastor Chidiebere Okoroafor in response to a complaint lodged by the husband of the late Chigozie Ezenwa. The husband had raised an alarm regarding the murder of three individuals that occurred on December 11, 2018, in two distinct locations within an Oyigbo community.

The prosecution counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, Precious Ordu and Antonia Osademe, who represented the International Federation of Female Lawyers in the murder trial, expressed their satisfaction with the verdict, considering it a just outcome.

However, the counsel representing the convicted pastor, Innocent Ekwu, stated that there were valid grounds to appeal the judgment on behalf of his client.

In a separate context, Deacon Shola Mese, a security consultant based in Delta State and the Chairman/Managing Director of Focus Guard Security Limited/FBI Security, issued a warning against spreading unverified stories pertaining to insecurity. Mese emphasized that such hearsay could needlessly escalate tension in society.

Mese, who gave the warning in a chat with newsmen, yesterday, at his private office in Effurun near Warri, expressed optimism that the security situation in Delta State would improve because Governor Sheriff Oborevwori “has experience as former Senior Special Adviser on Security to the Delta State government, under Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan administration.”

Mese, who is also the founder of the Shola Mese Foundation, urged both local and international investors to consider the potential of Warri and other regions within the state for investment opportunities.

He cited his previous collaboration with the Police as the Patron of Anti-Cult in the area, which resulted in the successful apprehension of individuals involved in kidnappings along Airport Road in Warri and Effurun. This joint effort played a significant role in reducing criminal activities along that particular route and its surrounding areas.

He said: “Insecurity is a national issue, in order to tackle insecurity in Warri and Delta State in general, everyone needs to work in synergy with the various security agencies.

“As Patron of Anti Cult, we worked in collaboration with the Police to apprehend most of the youths involved in criminal activities. Through the Shola Mese Foundation, we have been able to rehabilitate the ones who were ready to turn a new leaf. We rehabilitated them through the acquisition of skills and other forms of vocational training.

“Through the Foundation, we engaged most street boys, who do drugs, because violent crimes are common among drug addicts. We rehabilitated and empowered them through our vocational training for free.” he added