The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence passed on a man, Asuquo Okon Asuquo, for killing a neighbor, Andong Bassey Andong, over a boundary dispute in their compound.Asuquo was arraigned before the Cross River State High Court in Calabar for killing Andong on August 21, 2006.The deceased’s wife gave an eyewitness account of how Asuquo, armed with a machete, inflicted wounds on Andong, who died while she was taking him to the hospital.The prosecution said Andong tried to escape, but fell in front of the Presbyterian Church near his house, where Asuquo caught up with the deceased and attacked him.The state, through its counsel, Ade Oyebanji, called four witnesses, including a neighbor, who saw Asuquo running away with the machete in his hand after the attack.Asuquo denied the offence, saying he was not at the crime scene, but the High Court found him guilty of murder and sentenced him to death by hanging.The Court of Appeal upheld the death sentence, following which the convict appealed to the Supreme Court.In a verdict delivered by Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs, the apex court upheld the decisions of the High Court and Court of Appeal.The Supreme Court dismissed the appellant’s arguments that there were inconsistencies and contradictions in the evidence against him.“There is nothing in this appeal that was not adequately addressed in the court below. The appeal lacks any redeeming features for it to succeed.“This is a murder that was dastardly executed by the appellant against the deceased who did not bargain for what befell him.“The appellant was rightly convicted of the murder of Andong Bassey Andong and appropriately sentenced to death. I find no merit in the appeal and it is hereby dismissed.
“The conviction and sentence of the appellant by the High Court of Cross River State, Calabar which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal in Calabar is further affirmed by this court. Appeal is dismissed,” the Supreme Court held.The Nation
