A policeman, Christopher Ugwu, has been accused of murdering one Friday Arunsi(deceased) of Ebem Ohafia in Abia State.
This was in a petition before the State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, written by the deceased’s father, Mr Ifeanyi Arunsi, Mua Nneibo maternal family Ebem Ohafia, against the Commissioner of Police Abia State, Supol Daniel(DPO Ebem Ohafia police station), and P.C Ugwu Christopher.
In a resumed hearing today, March 30, the PW4, Mr Uchechi Orji an electrician, and an uncle to the deceased said;
” On April 17, 2020, my mom sent me to deliver a message to late Friday at about 10pm.
” On getting to the shop, I discovered they were off-loading goods. I called his attention, and he asked me to wait a little.
” While I was waiting, few minutes later, I heard the sound of a car hitting another car.
” The car hit the vehicle from which Friday and his colleagues were off-loading goods.
” Three men who are policemen but was on mufti, came out of that car and started arguing with them on who was right or not.
” The argument turned into a quarrel and people came to separate them. Two men out of those three officers drove off in their vehicle, the remaining officer ran into the Ebem police station.
” We thought that the matter had been resolved. Few minutes later, the police officer who ran into the station, reappeared with a riffle.
” He approached Friday, and shot him on his leg at close range while he ran back to the police station”.
According to the witness, the deceased was rushed to Mbem hospital, which refused him as he was excessively bleeding.
With the advise of the hospital, late Friday was rushed to FMC Umuahia where he died.
” We went back home from Umuahia. It was when we were discussing with the DPO of Ebem police station, that we realized that the policeman’s name is Christopher Ugwu.
” The DPO advised us to take the corpse to the mortuary since it’s a murder case” Orji said.
Meanwhile, at the last sitting on the matter, March 23, the deceased’s father, Mr Ifeanyi Arunsi and the deceased’s maternal family, Mua Nneibo maternal family, disagreed before the panel on who will receive a supposed compensation for the deceased if paid .
In his argument, the father of the deceased, Mr Ifeanyi claimed that the maternal home’s representative, Mr Kings Hart Ukpai never contributed anything to the training of the deceased from birth as he got to know late Friday on January, 2017.
” My son was 19 years old when he was killed by the police.
” Mr Kings Hart contributed nothing even from birth. I have been the one training him from primary school until he wrote his WAEC.
” January 2017 was the first time Mr Kings Hart knew my son.
” My son was buried in Ebem Ohafia, on a piece of land I borrowed N5M to buy.
” Umu Nneibo maternal family did not play any role in his burial. They were cautioned by the council of chiefs and elders whom I reported to when they pushed me to the wall.
” At the burial , over N1 million was realized. Mr Kings Hart took everything. They didn’t give me anything” Mr Ifeanyi had claimed.
Justice SN Imo (retd) had advised the duo to keep quarreling aside and concentrate on the extra Judicial Killing of their late son. He added that the family cannot be too sure that a compensation would be recommended.
The matter was adjourned till April 7, for defense.
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