A serial killer, Gracious David-West, who was arrested on September 19, by the Rivers state Police Command has pleaded guilty of nine murders, but denied killing one of his victims, saying he is “a child of God”, and would not lie.
David-West made this known on Tuesday, October 22, before Justice Adolphus Enebeli of the Rivers State High Court.
He said in court said: “I never had thoughts of killing the tenth person. “I don’t lie. I’m a child of God, I only tied her on the chair in the hotel room and walked away.”
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The police charges claim that David-West was alleged to have, “unlawfully killed several females in different hotels and guest houses in parts of Rivers State which is a punishable offence under section 319 sub one cap 37, volume 2 laws of the state,1999 as amended.
Counsel for the defendant, Vincent Chukwu told newsmen that his client pleading guilty before the court was not enough to convict him of the crime without due trial.
Chukwu said: “The offence in question is a capital offence, whether my client did it or not, the presumption is that the prosecution must still prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, so it is not for the defendant to just say I am guilty and liable and it ends there.
“Because the punishment is death, so the burden is now on the prosecution to go ahead to prove their case and we are waiting for them.
“My client has a very plausible defence which we shall open up at the appropriate time, we have had fruitful deliberations with him yesterday and we hope for the best in the matter”.
Justice Enebeli ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the matter till November 18, 21, 27, 29 and December 4 2019 for hearing.