Retired Delta judge killed for phones and jewellery – suspect confesses

The Delta State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, posted a video on X on Tuesday showing Godwin Mngumi, identified as the prime suspect in the murder of retired Chief Judge Justice Ifeoma Okogwu. In the video, the 25‑year‑old Mngumi said he and two accomplices killed the judge while stealing her mobile phones, a wristwatch, jewellery and a power bank.

Mngumi explained that he had been hired as a security guard at the judge’s residence only a few weeks before the incident. He said the plan was to take the phones, but they bound the judge’s hands and feet during the robbery. “We did not plan to kill her; we only planned to take her phone,” he told the police. He added that the judge owned two phones: the larger Samsung handset was kept by his 21‑year‑old accomplice, Nnaji Obalum, while the smaller one was sold.

Obalum, also shown in the video, confirmed that the Samsung phone was found on him and that he had inserted his SIM card into it. Both men expressed remorse and asked for forgiveness. SP Edafe disclosed that a third suspect remains at large and warned residents to thoroughly vet domestic staff and security personnel before granting them access to homes.

The retired judge’s body was discovered on the night of Sunday, 23 November, at her home in Asaba. Investigations revealed that her hands and legs had been tied and the house ransacked. The Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department arrested Mngumi on 6 December after he fled to Anambra State.