ABIA PANEL: How Civilians Fought Armed Policemen, Tore Their Uniforms | READ IN FULL
A corporal with the Anti Cultism Unit, Abia State Police Command, has revealed how some civilians allegedly resisted arrest, fought four police men and tore their uniforms.
Corporal Eze Chukwuebuka who appeared as a defense witness before the Abia State panel of inquiry for a petition levelled against him by one Mr Kelechi Odinkemere.
Kelechi had petitioned the panel alleging police brutality meted on he and his younger brother one Mr Chukwuemeka Odinkemere on February 10, 2018.
Giving his witness, the Corporal who was as at the time of the incident was serving at Ikwuano Police Division as a police Constable, said;
” On the said date, we were at the station when a young lady came. She reported a case against one Chukwuemeka Odinkemere and Mrs Josephine Odinkemere.
” She said she was brutally assaulted by the two suspect’s and the evidence of the assault was visible because her clothes were torn and her face swollen.
” I and three other members of my team were dispatched to effect the arrest. When we got to the compound, we met the two suspects, Chukwuemeka and Josephine Odinkemere. We equally met their father and some other relatives.
” When we saw that Mrs Josephine was an aged woman, we invited her to the station but she refused. We started pleading with the husband to come along with his wife so she can make a statement and he will take her on bail.
” We spent roughly one hour pleading, but they bluntly refused”
The corporal informed the court that the first petitioner, Mr Kelechi Odinkemere, came into the compound, locked up the gate, and invited his relatives to fight the policemen and the complainant. He said, the police who had their uniforms torn, managed to escape with Mr Kelechi and his younger brother to the police station.
Corporal Eze said the arrested suspects were cautioned at the station, and were made to write a statement.
” When DPO came the following day, the matter was charged to court despite pleading.
He added that the case was withdrawn by the Police as the first petitioner and his father pressurized the police with pleas and promised to replace the torn uniforms.
On if the suspects were served an invitation letter, he said;
” We served the father an invitation letter but he refused to collect it” corporal Eze said.
The matter was adjourned for further recommendation by the panel.
