The Uchenwoke family in Mbosi, Ihiala, Anambra State and the state Chapter of Civil Liberties Organisation, have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, accusing the police in the state of allegedly clubbing 40-year-old Mr Nonso Uchenwoke to death.
The family, who said the incident occurred at Okpoko, on the outskirts of Onitsha, alleged that the policemen who killed Nonso were seen celebrating it over some bottles of beer.
Narrating the tragic story, the elder brother of the deceased, Calistus, said
his brother was killed by a team of policemen from Okpoko Police Station on Friday night (last week) following a disagreement between him (Nonso) and his neighbour, one Ada Ekwueme, who was said to be a police woman.
Callistus maintained that Ekwueme had brought her colleagues from Okpoko Police Station and took them to the deceased’s house, where they gave him a thorough beating.
He said, “At the heat of the beating of my younger brother, his neighbours at Udeaja/Ibe Street, East Niger Layout in Okpoko called me on the telephone to rush to the place, but before I could arrive at the scene, Nonso was already lying on the ground unconscious with the policemen watching him.
“When I met the policemen led by one Obiakor and demanded to know the crime my brother committed, which made them to beat him to coma, he (Obiakor) did not want to listen to me.”
Callistus said when he wanted to take his brother to a nearby hospital to save his life, the policemen refused and insisted that they would take him to the police station.
He maintained that while he was pleading with the police, another contingent of policemen led by a Divisional Crime Officer arrived with more patrol vans full of cops.
Callistus said pleas from people around, including the President-General of the community, Mr. John Ngerem, could not persuade the policemen.
“Instead, the DCO ordered his men to carry the unconscious Nonso into their vehicle and take him away.
“We only heard from the DPO, Kayode Olabanji, later that my younger brother had died and that they had deposited his remains at Beks Hospital morgue.
“Upon inquiries, it was gathered that the policemen took my brother to the police station that night and dumped him under that unconscious state in the cell against my plea to take him to the hospital for medical attention.”
The Civil Liberties Organisation in Anambra State in a joint petition with the family to the Inspector-General of Police, said, “When we went to the station to see the DPO, the police culprits were busy drinking beer at a joint near the station, contrary to what the DPO told us that they had been arrested and detained.”
In the petition signed by the Vice Chairman of CLO, Mr. Alex Olisa, and the Legal Secretary, Comrade Justus Ijeoma, they asked the IGP to carry out investigation into the matter and ensure that those found culpable were brought to justice.
When contacted, the Okpoko DPO referred Southern City News to the State Police Public Relations Officer, Ali Okechukwu.
“I am not in a position to talk to you on this matter. We have transferred the matter to the State Police Command. When you talk with the PPRO, there, you will know how far we have gone”, the DPO said.
When the PPRO was contacted, he said, “I cannot talk on the matter because there is no case involving a police woman and his neighbour on my table.”
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