The Anambra council chairman was suspended to pave the way for a thorough investigation into the wife’s death.
Suspended Transition Committee chairman of Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mbazulike Iloka, who allegedly beat his wife to death, has been arrested by the police.
Vanguard reports that the suspended chairman is currently being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Awka, and is being charged with committing culpable homicide.
His wife, Chidiebere, was said to have died under circumstances traceable to domestic violence involving her husband.
Following the incident, which took place barely one week after the local government chairman was sworn in, Governor Chukwuma Soludo suspended him from office to pave the way for a thorough investigation into the matter.
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Iloka had, however, denied the allegation that he was responsible for the death of his wife, claiming that he had never had any domestic issues with her.
According to Iloka, his wife slipped and fell while bringing food to him, adding that she hit her head on a concrete wall.
It was also gathered yesterday that Iloka’s arrest followed a petition by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) on Monday which was addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Anambra State Police command has also confirmed the arrest of Iloka. The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga said: “Iloka is in our custody now and I urge the members of the public to be patient as the autopsy shall prove the cause of the wife’s death. Meanwhile, the investigation is still ongoing.”
It will be recalled that HURIWA had in a statement issued after the suspension of the local government chairman, urged the Anambra State Police Command to arrest him, arguing that his suspension was not enough. It also urged the state government to ensure immediate arrest and prosecution of the LG boss beyond his suspension.
National coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, had in the statement urged Governor Soludo to make a scapegoat of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act domesticated in Anambra State in 2017, which criminalized all types of violence against persons and offered protection and remedies for victims.
“The suspension of Mbazulike Iloka by the state government is not enough. Governor Chukwuma Soludo must order the immediate arrest, investigation, and prosecution of this suspected killer. Anything short of this is leniency taken too far.”
