9th October, 2020
Okafor Ofiebor Port Harcourt
After almost a year of trial, Port Harcourt serial killer Gracious David West, was found guilty today and sentenced to death for killing 11 women in Port Harcourt hotels.
He was also found guilty for the attempted murder of one Benita Etim.
Justice Adolphus Enebele of the Rivers High court said the prosecution team was able to convince the court that David-West was the killer of the several females.
‘I find you, Gracious David-West, guilty of the murder of nine young women and the attempted murder of another in hotels last year and sentence you to death by hanging,’ said judge Adolphus Enebele.
Meanwhile the second defendant, Nimi ThankGod, a female hotel manager, who is facing one count charge of misconduct with corpse was discharged and acquitted.
Gracious David West had confessed killing 15 women in different hotels after making love to them.
He was arraigned in Court on Friday 18 October.
He was arrested on the September 19 in Bori, headquarters of Khana local on his way to Uyo in Akwa-Ibom State and paraded before journalists at the Rivers State Police, headquarters, Moscow road,Port Harcourt, by CP Dandaura.
The bodies of these ladies were found in similar conditions – strangled and with a white piece of cloth tied on their legs, necks and hands.
The 26-year old killer from Buguma, in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, is also a member of the Degbam cult group.