Okoligwe, 4th Year UNIPORT Student To Die By Hanging 

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Okoligwe murdered his girlfriend and dismembered her body, and packed the pieces in a wheelbarrow

Damian Okoligwe, a 400 -level Petrochemical Engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt is to die by hanging, a Rivers State High Court ruled on Friday November 28, 2025.

Justice Chinwe Nsirum-Nwosu, who delivered the judgment said that Okoligwe is to die for killing Miss Justina Otuene, his girlfriend, and dismembering her body.

The Source reports that Okoligwe  murdered Otuene on October 20, 2023,  at his apartment in Mgbuogba, Obio-Akpor Local Council of Rivers State.

He subsequently dumped her dismembered body in a wheelbarrow with the intent to disposing it when he ran out of  luck following the discovery of his victim’s remains by vigilant Mgbuogba Estate Security Personnel.

Okoligwe was  arrested by police authorities who were alerted by the estate security personnel.

Further search and investigations conducted on Okoligwe’s apartment, NTA road, within the estate revealed the victim’s remains carefully wrapped in a sack in a wheelbarrow ready to be disposed of.

According to police findings ,there were blood stains in almost every part of his apartment, a development suggesting that he must have violently snuffed life out of Otuene.

However, Okoligwe was to put up a watery defence when he told police operatives that he was not responsible for the murder but only discovered the dead body of his girlfriend when he came back home.

According to him, he did not  report the incident to the police after discovering the lifeless body of Otuene because he was ill.

Police investigations further revealed that as at the time of intercepting the remains of the victim, some vital organs were already missing , suggesting the  possibility of a ritual killing.

Justice Nsirum-Nwosu, in convicting and sentencing Okoligwe, held that the prosecution proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt.

The trial judge was of the opinion that Okoligwe was intentional, calculated  and composed in carrying out his evil action, and that the prosecution having provided sufficient evidence to prove its case, the accused is to die by hanging.

Both the family and legal team of the victim described the judgment as a welcome development that will serve as a deterrent to others who may wish to follow the path of Okoligwe.

It is however not yet known if the defendant will be appealing the verdict as his counsel declined comments after the court session.