European Court Rules Murderer Had Human Rights Breached

Obina Christopher Ezeoke, a 32-year-old convicted double murderer, has successfully argued before the European Court of Human Rights that his trial delays violated his rights under Article 6, which guarantees a fair and timely hearing. Ezeoke was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2016 murders of Annie Ekofo, 53, and her nephew Bervil Kalikaka-Ekofo, 21, following a lengthy legal process that included five trials marred by a judge's illness, hung juries, and disruptions from the Covid pandemic. Although the court ruled that the lengthy trial process constituted a breach of his rights, it upheld his conviction and denied his request for immediate release or compensation. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick criticized the ruling as an example of