The High Court of Imo State sitting in Owerri will on Wednesday, July 29, deliver judgment in the high-profile murder trial of Prince Uchenna Orji, son of the traditional ruler of Otulu Autonomous Community in Oru West Local Government Area, and his younger sister, Precious Orji, over the controversial death of Uchenna’s wife, Mrs. Njideka Orji.
Justice Alma Eluwa, who presided over the trial, fixed the date for judgment after counsel for both the prosecution and the defence adopted their final written addresses in Charge No. HOW/4C/2026, bringing months of criminal proceedings to a close.
The case has attracted widespread public attention since the death of Mrs. Orji in October 2024, with conflicting accounts of how she died eventually leading to a police investigation and criminal prosecution.
Prince Uchenna Orji and his sister are the biological children of His Royal Highness Eze Festus Orji, the traditional ruler of Otulu Autonomous Community.
According to evidence presented before the court, the deceased had undergone surgery for an ectopic pregnancy in September 2024, after which she reportedly recovered, held a thanksgiving service and resumed her normal activities.
The prosecution told the court that tragedy struck on October 23, 2024, when Mrs. Orji was said to have collapsed in her room after dinner. She was rushed to hospital, where medical personnel reportedly found no heartbeat or respiration and, despite efforts at cardiopulmonary resuscitation, confirmed her dead.
However, suspicions surrounding the circumstances of her death emerged after members of her family alleged that she had, during her lifetime, complained of repeated domestic violence. One of the prosecution’s witnesses, identified as the deceased’s elder brother, testified that she had informed relatives of several instances of physical assault allegedly inflicted by her husband during the marriage.
Prompted by those concerns, the family petitioned the police, resulting in an investigation and a post-mortem examination.
According to the prosecution, the autopsy revealed multiple fractures and other severe injuries on the deceased’s body. Medical experts who testified during the trial reportedly informed the court that the pattern of injuries was inconsistent with the defendants’ account that the deceased suffered a fatal injury from a single fall.
The prosecution argued that the medical findings undermined the explanation offered by the defendants, who maintained that Mrs. Orji sustained the injuries after falling in her room on the night she died.
Throughout the proceedings, both the prosecution and the defence called three witnesses each and tendered documentary and other exhibits in support of their respective cases before closing their evidence.
With final addresses now concluded, Justice Eluwa is expected to determine whether the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt or whether the defendants are entitled to an acquittal when judgment is delivered on July 29.
