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The trial of Chiamaka Ifezue, the convicted murderer of Nigerian makeup artist Ms. Ijeoma Nneke, took a shocking twist as details emerged of a clandestine deal between the accused and a pharmacist involved in the supply of the lethal substance. On Wednesday, Justice Kenneth Okpe of the Enugu State High Court sentenced Ifezue to death by hanging, marking a conclusion to a harrowing legal saga that unfolded over the past year.

Chiamaka Ifezue, along with her brother Chukwuemeka Ifezue, faced charges of conspiracy and murder in connection to the death of Ms. Nneke. However, Justice Okpe discharged Chukwuemeka, citing a lack of evidence linking him to the crime. The prosecution counsel, Ms. Chinelo Chigbo from the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), relied on the doctrine of last seen during the trial, asserting that Ifezue was last seen with the deceased.

In a revealing interview with SaharaReporters, Chigbo disclosed a shocking detail about the case. She stated that the convicted murderer had offered the pharmacist who supplied the fatal drug £100 to maintain silence during the trial. Despite this attempt, the pharmacist chose to testify against Ifezue, a decision that proved pivotal in the courtroom.

Chigbo outlined the prosecution's case, emphasizing the use of the doctrine of last seen to establish Ifezue's connection to the crime. The prosecution also unveiled the intricate planning behind the murder, including Ifezue instructing their domestic help to register a SIM card in his name, which she then used to make the call claiming to be 'Nkiru.'

The defense's attempt to refute these claims fell short, and the court ultimately handed down a death sentence to Chiamaka Ifezue under Section 274 of the Criminal Code laws of Enugu State.

The late makeup artist's elder sister, Aku Nneke, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, noting that justice had been served. While acknowledging that the death sentence would not bring back her sister, Aku emphasized that the judgment provided a considerable consolation for their mourning family. She lauded the court's decision, renewing her trust in the age-old saying that the 'court is the last hope of the common man.