Ebonyi Court Sentences Man to Death for Killing Teen Who Revealed Their Homosexual Relationship

An Izzi High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has sentenced 30-year-old Boniface Abraham Edigbo to death by hanging for the murder of an 18-year-old secondary school student, Ogbonna Joshua.

Justice Ruth Okeh delivered the judgment on Friday, June 13, 2025, following Edigbo’s conviction for killing the teenager after he disclosed their sexual relationship, which reportedly led to health complications.

According to court findings, the incident occurred on May 23, 2023, at Edigbo Guest House in Abakaliki. Edigbo, who had been in a relationship with Joshua since 2021, lured the young man to the hotel a day after their final sexual encounter. The convict then mixed insecticide with a soft drink and gave it to the victim, who died shortly after consuming the mixture.

The deceased, a Senior Secondary School 2 student at Community Secondary School, Amachi in Izzi Local Government Area, had recently disclosed the nature of their relationship to school authorities after experiencing anal health issues. This revelation reportedly breached a pact of secrecy made between the two in 2023.

Following the murder, Edigbo confessed to a woman in the community, claiming he did not intend to kill Joshua but acted out of fear and shame after the relationship became public. The woman alerted local youths, who apprehended Edigbo and returned him to the hotel, where Joshua’s lifeless body was discovered in Room 006.

The prosecution, led by Mrs. Ijeoma Mike-Aja Nwachukwu, welcomed the verdict, stating that it serves as a warning to others who may consider committing similar acts.

“This judgment sends a clear message that our justice system will not tolerate such heinous crimes,” Nwachukwu said after the ruling.