Chief Vincent Duru, popularly known as Otokoto, has been executed twenty years after the beheading of little Ikechukwu Okonkwo in his hotel, Otokoto hotel, along Amaokohia in Owerri.
He was hanged last week Sunday, after his execution was approved by the Imo State government.
The proprietor of Otokoto hotel, Vincent was sentenced to death by hanging by the Imo State court in 1996 presided over by Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme.
In 1996, Ikechukwu Okonkwo, was heartlessly murdered by Chief Otokoto and his son Obicheozor, who as at then were involved in rituals and it was alleged that was the purpose behind the beheading of the little boy in his hotel.
The heinous act, which sparked massive uprising in Owerri, then resulted in the arrest of the chief and his son.
Ikechukwu was beheaded under a palm tree but a palm wine tapper who was up in the tree during the time of the act saw the killers behead him and was able to finger them out during the course of judgement to which the chief and his son were identified by the killer as their sponsors.
An investigation into the case revealed that the hotel was used as a hiding place for ritual purposes, and shallow graves were found and this led to the burning of the hotel by angry masses who condemned the act.
After two years of strenuous legal trials, the court found the chief and his son guilty to which it sentenced the two of them to death by hanging.
His son Obicheozor, was executed along with other culprits in a firing squad, while Chris Duru was remanded in Port Harcourt prison but was said to have finally been executed last Sunday.
The death sentence was appealed by the accused persons and after 18 years of legal fireworks, the appellant court upheld the judgment of the lower court.
The Imolites who heard of the hanging expressed surprise after several reports and publications in the past claimed the business mogul was dead.