Convicted Nigerian Killer Wins Human Rights Case Over Delayed UK Trial

A Nigerian man convicted of a double murder in the United Kingdom has won a human rights case at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), following a prolonged legal process that spanned five years and five trials.

Obina Christopher Ezeoke, 32, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years for the 2016 murders of psychology student Bervil Kalikaka-Ekofo, 21, and his aunt, Annie Ekofo, 53, at their East Finchley home in north London.

The Strasbourg-based court ruled that Ezeoke’s right to a fair trial within a “reasonable time,” as guaranteed by Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, had been violated due to excessive delays in his prosecution. These delays, according to reports, were caused by multiple setbacks—including a judge’s illness, hung juries in two trials, and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though the court acknowledged that many of the delays were outside the UK government’s control, it concluded that the overall timeline was unreasonably long. Despite the ruling, the court denied Ezeoke’s request for compensation or early release, noting that his final conviction and sentence were fair.

The decision has drawn criticism in the UK. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick labelled it “the latest extraordinary example of judicial activism by the Strasbourg court,” adding, “It only seems to get worse.”

Ezeoke’s crime shocked the public when details emerged during the trial. Prosecutors told the Old Bailey that he fatally shot Kalikaka-Ekofo in the head while he slept, before turning the gun on Annie Ekofo, who was killed with a Smith & Wesson revolver as she emerged from her bedroom.

The court heard that the murders were a revenge attack aimed at Ryan Efey, the son of one of the victims, after Ezeoke was reportedly humiliated in a viral video.

Mrs Justice Cutts, in her sentencing remarks, described the killings as “cold, callous and brutal,” and said the impact on the victims’ families was devastating. She considered imposing a whole-life sentence but ultimately settled on a minimum term of 40 years.

Ezeoke’s legal team had opposed the fifth trial, arguing that the drawn-out legal proceedings compromised the defense and the reliability of evidence. The ECHR cited two specific delays as “problematic”: a year-long gap between the third and fourth trials, and a six-month delay in addressing an appeal application.

Despite the court’s finding, Ezeoke remains incarcerated in a high-security UK prison, serving his life sentence.