Mrs Kate Nwokolo, mother of slain Ndubuisi Nwokolo has expressed joy over recent Anambra State Court judgement on killer of his son, Ikechukwu Udensi, a notorious robbery kingpin, popularly known as Ikanda.
The deceased, an Onitsha based businessman, was reportedly killed by Udensi, revenue agent on June 29, 2018, a day to the ban of commercial motorcycle operations in Onitsha.
Udensi Udensi, aged 27, from Azia in Ihiala Local Government Area was said to have descended on the deceased following his intervention over his (Udensi’s) alleged extortion of a cyclist he boarded.
“The cyclist was conveying Nwokolo to his shop at No 21 Otumoye street Odoakpu, Onitsha when he was accosted by Ikanda and was about extorting him but Nwokolo intervened.
“Ikanda and his boys in the process, descended on him, beating him with machetes, cutlasses and other offensive weapons until he breathed his last,” an eyewitness said.
The death of Nwokolo had generated public outcry in the state as to why Udensi should be attacking people in course of his duty at the slightest provocation.
He was reportedly at large for a while until declared wanted by State Police Command under the leadership of CP Mustapha Dandaura who placed N1million bounty on anybody with useful information leading to his arrest.
He was eventually arrested on March 31, 2019, paraded, prosecuted and committed to prison custody in Onitsha before he was finally convicted.
The deceased mother, Mrs Kate Nwokolo, had for the past five years continually cried for justice over her son’s death, until the judgment at the High Court sitting in the commercial city.
Delivering the judgement, Presiding judge, Justice D. A. Onyefulu said the convict shall be hanged until life goes out of him and shall be committed to the prison custody before his death.
The jubilant woman, in a chat with newsmen in Onitsha, thanked God of justice for allowing truth to prevail, expressing satisfaction with the judiciary for the final decision which she described as succour to the entire family.
“For these past five years, the entire family have continually cried for justice over the unwarranted gruesome murder of our son and breadwinner of the family, leaving behind his wife and children to wallow in penury.
“I thank the God of justice for allowing truth to prevail. I also thank the judiciary for finally doing the needful. Indeed, justice delayed is not justice denied,” she said.
In a judgement paper made available to newsmen, the case was contained in Charge No 0/48c/2019 between the State versus Ikechukwu Udensi (Ikanda); the prosecuting counsel was Tonia Nnabuife, Senior State Counsel for the state while Barr C. J Agbata stood for the convict.
