Gracious David-West, a Nigerian national who went on a killing spree in the West African country’s Rivers State, has been sentenced to death by hanging.
40-year-old David-West strangled about 15 women to death between July 2019 and 20 September 2019 mainly within the City of Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.
On Friday, a high court in the state sentenced David-West to death by hanging for the multiple murder of several females in hotels in different parts of the state.
David-West had faced ten counts of murder and attempted murder.
The court heard how the culprit lured his victims to hotels, killed them and, thereafter, used a white cloth to tie their hands and legs before making away with their valuables.
The trial Judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli in his judgment resolved that the prosecution was able to prove their case behind reasonable doubts with all the evidence and witnesses brought before the court.
Justice Enebeli said the voluntary statement and confession of the David-West, as well as the CCTV footage of the convict which was tendered and displayed during the trial, proved that he is guilty of the crime.
The judge also discharged and acquitted the second defendant, Nimi Thankgod who was accused of dumping the remains of one of the victims of the Serial killer in a dustbin, saying that the prosecutions were not able to prove their case that Thankgod actually committed the crime.
Speaking to newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel to the convicted, Vincent Chukwu said when given opportunity by his client, he would try the judgment at the higher court.