The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of General-Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Chukwuemeka Ezeugo alias Rev. King, against a death penalty passed on him by a Lagos State High Court and affirmed by the Court of Appeal.
Rev. King was sentenced to death by hanging on January 11, 2007, after he was convicted of the murder of a church member, Ann Uzoh, by a Justice Joseph Oyewole-led Lagos High Court.
In a unanimous decision of the apex court led by Justice Walter Onnoghen, the cleric’s appeal was dismissed for lack of merit.
Delivering the lead judgement, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta noted that “the facts of the case could have been lifted from horror film”.
The court held: “This appeal has no merit. The judgement of the court of appeal is hereby affirmed. The prison sentence that was earlier handed to the appellant is no longer relevant in view of the death sentence passed on him.”
Rev. King was accused of pouring petrol on Uzoh and five others and setting them ablaze in July 2006.
Justice Oyewole sentenced him to death for the murder of Uzoh and 20 years in jail for attempted murder of the other victims.
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