17th September, 2021
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced one Prophetess Edina Lovely-Worleru to life imprisonment.
She was found guilty for preparing a concoction said to be a love potion for her client, Onyaema Bright Worlu, which was put in a meal that poisoned and killed her lover, Isreal Georgewil.
The Court held that Onyaema Bright Worlu could not prove that she was ignorant that the supposed love portion could kill Isreal Georgewil. She also has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Lovely-Worleru, who claimed that she is a Prophetess with a spiritual church in Rumuche community in Emouha Local Government Area of the state was reported to have prepared a poisonous substance, supposedly love portion, for Onyaema Bright Worlu to administer on Georgewil.
The late Georgewill was also a prophet in another supposedly spiritual church within the community.
The trial Judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, in his judgment on the matter which started sometime in 2012, found the two women (Prophetess Edna Lovely Worleru and Onyaema Bright Worlu) guilty of manslaughter, not a case of murder as charged in the suit.
The judge, after considering all the facts presented by the parties and the relevant laws of administration in the Rivers State criminal code, convicted and sentenced Onyaema Bright Worlu and Edina Lovely-Worelu to life imprisonment without an option of fine.
Justice Enebeli ruled that the prosecution was able to prove their case based on the statement of the first defendant, Onyaema Bright-Worlu, at the Police station where she voluntarily stated that she administered the said love portion to her man-friend—as prepared by her prophetess—so he would not turn down any financial request from her, but had no idea it would kill him.
On his part, Counsel to the first defendant, Vincent Chukwu, said they would appeal the judgment against his client in the interest of justice.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, Principal Prosecution State Counsel, Chidi Ekeh, said the judgment is not only justice for the deceased and his family, but also for the state and Nigeria at large.
On his part, counsel to the first defendant, Vincent Chukwu, said they would appeal the judgment against his client in the interest of justice.