Condemned Without Evidence: The Case of Christabel Micheal and the Killing of Inspector Chikaodi Ogbonnaya
Condemned Without Evidence: The Case of Christabel Micheal and the Killing of Inspector Chikaodi Ogbonnaya
Christabel Micheal, a young Nigerian woman with no political or institutional backing, is facing a death sentence over the 2019 killing of Inspector Chikaodi Ogbonnaya, despite persistent claims that she had no involvement in the crime.
Inspector Ogbonnaya was killed during a violent incident at Evergreen Hotel, Umuahia, a tragedy that shocked the public and initially led to the arrest of several individuals. However, years later, the case has become a symbol of alleged unequal justice, as fresh details and eyewitness accounts raise serious questions about how Christabel Micheal became one of the condemned.
According to eyewitnesses and community sources, the confrontation that led to the officer’s death began between Inspector Ogbonnaya and a young man identified as Benjamin Sunday, the son of a serving police inspector from Otukpo, Benue State. The disagreement reportedly escalated after the young man called his friends, turning the situation into a mob attack. Witnesses allege that as Inspector Ogbonnaya attempted to escape, he was chased and pelted with stones, and one of the stones struck him from behind, causing him to collapse and later die.
Christabel Micheal, however, maintains that she was never part of the attack. In her account, she said she had gone to a club that night and later stepped out briefly to buy noodles when she was suddenly accosted by police officers and accused of killing a police officer. She stated that five people were initially arrested—three men and two women—but that the number later reduced, with some suspects allegedly released.
Christabel further alleged that the father of Benjamin Sunday, himself a serving police inspector, intervened and secured his son’s release. In the end, only two people—Christabel Micheal and Clinton Obinna—were prosecuted and condemned.
She insists that CCTV footage does not show her participating in any violent act and claims she never wrote any statement at the police station. Instead, she alleges that police officers beat her and wrote a statement themselves, which was later presented as her confession.
Human rights advocates and civil society groups have described her conviction as deeply troubling, questioning how individuals allegedly identified by eyewitnesses were released, while Christabel—who maintains her innocence—now faces execution.
Christabel Micheal is currently held at the Enugu Correctional Centre as calls grow for an independent review of the case. For many Nigerians, her story has become a painful reminder that when justice is influenced by power, the innocent may suffer the most.
This report was investigated by Johnson Ikechukwu