Emotions ran high in an Abia State High Court in Umuahia during a screening of recorded confessions purportedly made by a murder suspect, Salem Chukwunyere. The Department of State Security, DSS, played the video inside the courtroom.
In the footage, the suspect, Chukwunyere, a self-identified plumber, admitted to the murder of a woman named Nkem Ndife. He disclosed that he used a bathroom sponge to strangle her inside her Umuahia residence while seeking financial help from her on the fateful day.
He confessed to encountering the victim alone in her house before the tragic incident took place.
In a startling revelation, Chukwunyere also claimed responsibility for the murder of another victim, Chioma Nwoke, in Obinze, Imo State.
An official from the DSS informed the court that the suspect willingly made these confessions following his apprehension, asserting that they were not coerced.
However, the defendant’s counsel, Adimchinaka Udochukwu Ngumoha, contended that the video confession should not be considered as valid evidence, citing lack of proper authentication and certification documents.
Justice Uche Enwereji, presiding over the case, advised the defendant’s counsel to raise his objections while presenting his written argument.
The hearing was adjourned to July 3, 2024, for further proceedings.
After the court session, Mr. Christian Ndife, the husband of the late Nkem Ndife, expressed his desire for justice for his wife.
He mourned the brutal murder of his 48-year-old wife on Agulu Street in Umuahia on September 21, 2021, emphasizing the importance of seeking justice for all women.
Similarly, Mrs. Clementina Nwoke, whose daughter, Chioma Nwoke, was also allegedly killed by the same suspect, echoed the call for justice for the victims.