In a recent ruling, an Italian court has handed down a 24-year prison sentence to Filippo Ferlazzo, an Italian citizen, for the tragic assault that led to the death of Nigerian national Alika Ogorchukwu. The incident took place on July 30, 2022, in the Marche Region of Italy and was confirmed by the Nigerian Embassy in Rome.
According to the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NidCOM), Ferlazzo used the victim’s crutches to carry out the fatal attack. Shockingly, the assault occurred in broad daylight, with bystanders capturing the incident on video but failing to intervene.
The news of Ogorchukwu’s untimely death drew widespread outrage within the Nigerian community, prompting the Nigerian Embassy in Italy to collaborate with Italian authorities to seek justice and provide support to the victim’s family.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), announced the court’s verdict, expressing the federal government’s satisfaction with the outcome. She acknowledged that while no amount of justice could replace the life lost, the 24-year prison term for Filippo Ferlazzo was a significant step toward achieving closure for the victim’s family.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasized the horrifying nature of the incident, in which Ferlazzo brutally attacked Ogorchukwu, who was already vulnerable due to his reliance on crutches. The fact that onlookers recorded the assault on their mobile phones without intervening only added to the shock and horror surrounding the case.
