Chidera Ezeanya-a 16-year old-boy was whisked off from his maternal home and murdered by a suspect Mr Ifeanyi Okpoko and his collaborators.
The boy was allegedly tortured to death by his assailants. Consequently, a human rights advocacy organisation has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police demanding detailed investigation and justice for the deceased boy. Senior Correspondent ONYEWUCHI OJINNAKA writes.
The horrible and gruesome murder of a 16-year old Chidera Ezeanya has attracted the ire of Crusade for Justice (CJ), a non-governmental organisation/human rights advocacy group.
Reacting to the dastardly act, Crusade for Justice expressed serious concern and worried over the way and manner Chidera Ezeanya was tortured to death by a suspect Mr Ifeanyi Okpoko (alias Anagwanti ) and employees of his iron smelting company.
Late Chidera from Ezeanya family of Umunnama village, Eziowelle in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State was allegedly whisked away on October 01, 2017 from the house of late Chief Francis Ekwunife while he was sleeping. It was alleged that Ifeanyi Okpoko in collaboration with his staff and some miscreants, while bearing several offensive weapons went and broke into the family house of the said late Francis Ekwunife, forcibly whisked off Chidera to an unknown destination.
TheNiche gathered that late Chidera was mercilessly beaten , tortured and tied up by his assailants. He was suspended on air with his hands and legs tied at his back for hours before he finally died in the private residence of the suspect Ifeanyi Okpoko.
The purported ‘Sin’ of Chidera according to what Mr Okpoko told his cohorts was that he suspected Chidera was among the boys who stole phones from his house. It was gathered that when the community got wind of what happened, they raised a search party to locate the whereabouts of Chidera who sadly, had passed on due to the torture.
It was said that in order to cover up his crime, prime suspect Okpoko told the search party that Chidera was taken to the State Armed Robbery Squard (SARS) office at Awkuzu, giving the impression that the deceased was involved in some criminal acts.
However, it was later discovered that immediately after the death of Chidera, the suspect secretly took his corpse to Iyi Enu hospital in Anambra State.
Petition To IGP
Consequent upon the heinous murder of Chidera, the firm of Patrick Ekwunife &Co petitioned the Inspector-General of Police vide a letter with reference No CB: 7000/IGP SEC/ABJ/Vol. 352/402, asking for thorough and unbiased investigation into the gruesome murder of Chidera and bring the perpetrators to book.
It was a known fact that on receipt of the petition, the IGP referred the matter to Force Intelligence Bureau Annex, Lagos for a detailed investigation but that was not to be. It was discovered that the suspect while in custody at Ogidi Police Station in Anambra State, used his telephone through text messages on facebook and social platforms, influenced the transfer of the case to Homicide section of the Force Headquarters Abuja, contrary to IGP’s instruction.
In another letter dated November 07, 2017 to IGP Force Headquarters Abuja by Crusade for Justice titled ” Complaint Against Mr Ifeanyi Okpoko (alias Anagwanti) and Several Others over the Murder of late Chidera Ezeanya And the Role of the Homicide Team attached to Force Headquarters in this Matter”; the police was accused of allowing the suspect access to telephone while in their custody which gave him the courage and effontery to initiate a “suspicious, questionable and most arrogant transfer of this matter to the Homicide section of the Force Headquarters against your earlier directive issued by your office”
” We view with extreme suspicion, disgust and lack of trust the actions of the men of Homicide section who are now trying to over-reach a standing directive issued by your office” Crusade for Justice stated.
The human rights advocacy stressed that it is totally and utterly unacceptable for a suspect in a murder case to initiate a petition that would override a clear directive from the office of IGP, warning that it amounts to taking serious business of crime fighting to the level of comedy.
Pertinent Issues Raised by C J
In the letter to IGP which was signed by President/Founder of Crusade for Justice Mr Richard Nwankwo and copied to Senate President Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Speaker House of Representatives Mr Yakubu Dogara; the C J desired to know whether a clear directive from the office of IGP to the men of Force Intelligence Bureau Annex, Lagos could be overriden by petition by a murder suspect; whether murder suspects have the constitutional rights to determine who should investigate alleged crimes involving them; whether the men of Homicide section have the mandate of the office of IGP to investigate a matter currently being investigated by the office of IGP as instructed and whether the suspects are entitled to 24-hour access to telephone and internet services which they used while at the Ogidi Police Station in Anambra and presently at the Homicide section at Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Constraints/Worries
Expressing worry in the letter, C J alerted the IGP of efforts being made by the Homicide team to hurriedly arraign the prime suspect inorder to create an avenue for his bail.
Nonetheless, the human rights group has expressed its determination to oppose such moves with ” all the legal arsenal at our disposition” , adding that as murder case, it is imperative that due process which entails painstaking investigatory processes should be rigidly adhered to in this particular murder case.
“For this investigation to be acceptable to the entire members of our client, it must be dispassionate, thorough, comprehensive and detailed” C J stressed.
The organisation has therefore through the letter urged the IGP to use his good offices and immediately disengage members of the Homicide team from handling the case of Chidera’s murder and constitute an independent team to investigate his death.
“Our clients want nothing but justice and we are not in doubt that you will bring your good name, integrity and professional finesse to bear on these investigations” C J letter reads.
“We are indeed compelled by the initial shocks we have received by the unsolicited drive of the Homicide team to bring this sad development to the attention of the leaders of our National Assembly” the letter further reads.
Reaction of Police on the Case
When TheNiche made phone call to Force Police Public Relations Officer (FPPRO) Mr Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), he referred any such inquiry to the Anambra State Police command PPRO, adding that since the incident occured there, he cannot comment or react on the matter.
“The appropriate person or officer to inquire for something that happened in Anambra State is the State Command PPRO,
“In this case the Anambra Police PRO is the right person to talk to on the matter. The matter has not been brought to my knowledge” Moshood said.
TheNiche then called Anambra PPRO Nkeiruka Nwode to find out the extent of the investigations and the whereabout of the prime suspect.
The officer said that she has confirmed the matter but ” I cannot comment on it because it is before the law court”.
The response of the PPRO to TheNiche goes to suggest that the prime suspect Ifeanyi Okpoko has been arraigned before a court, thus confirming the issue raised by Crusade for Justice to IGP that the Police intention was to hurriedly arraign the suspect to pave way for him to get court bail.
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