The Manager, Green-Mark filling station Aba, Ndubuisi Nwabeke has narrated how a trigger happy policeman shot dead a pump attendant on April, 5, 2020.
Mr Nwabeke appeared as a key witness before the Abia State panel of Inquiry sitting in Umuahia on Wednesday, March 17, in a case between one Kelechi Okameme (for and on-behalf of Chibuisi Okameme – deceased) and Inspector Stanley Azu of Ohuru Ishimiri police station, Aba.
In his evidence, Nwabeke said;
” On that day, there was lockdown but the government allowed filling stations to operate as essential workers .
” I was in my office as the manager , but Chibuisi who was a pump attendant was outside selling. I heard someone shouting ‘ you will kill me oh, I am sick oh’ .
” I rushed out of my office, I saw some policemen with a mini bus blocking a lexus car in front of the filling station. The officers were beating the driver of the lexus who happened to be our customer. The policemen were also hitting the man with their gun, trying to drag him out of his car. That was why the man was shouting.
” The man had fruits and drugs in his car. I made to approach the Policemen to plead with them but the deceased Chibuisi had already gone before me, so I went back.
“I stayed behind watching, Chibuisi was pleading with the police officers to leave the man as he was sick and also our customer.
” As Chibuisi was begging, inspector Stanley who was inside the mini bus, alighted with his gun hanged on his shoulder. The inspector pointed the gun at the deceased saying repeatedly, ‘ I will shoot you’. He pointed the gun at the deceased and shot him.
” Immediately, he fell down and blood was gushing out.
” The policemen at that point, wanted to run away, but an army officer who was close by stopped them. He asked the policemen to take Chibuisi to the hospital.
” The policemen and passerbys took Chibuisi to the hospital in the lexus car.
” I didn’t follow immediately, I locked up the office and kept money safe before I traced them to Teaching hospital Aba.
” The doctors tried to resuscitate him but he went into coma and was placed on oxygen and later died in the hospital.
” The DPO, Ohuru Oshimiri police station, Musa Solo, came to the hospital, I approached him and inquired from him the name of the Policeman who shot Chibuisi.
” The DPO told me his name is inspector Stanley Azu.
” We deposited the deceased in the Mortuary. Afterwards, we made an official report at Ohuru Oshimiri police station.
” Inspector Stanley was detained at Ohuru Ishimiri police station but was transferred to State CID Umuahia .
” The police asked us to conduct an autopsy on Chibuisi which we did. The report is with the police including the tally and other documents we got from the hospital and mortuary ” Nwabeke narrated.
He also told the panel that inspector Stanley has been relieved of his duties as a Policeman.
Kelechi Chimezie, elder brother to the deceased and the petitioner, pleaded a compensation of N50 million .
The petitioner’s counsel, CC Nwachukwu, pleaded the court to grant an order requesting the police to realease the body of the deceased.
The Presiding judge , Justice SN Imo (retd) inquired if the counsel and the deceased’s family had made any effort to retrieve the corpse from the police for burial, the counsel said ‘no’.
Justice Imo advised the counsel to make an attempt and come for a court order if he encounters any difficulty.
The matter was adjourned till March, 24 for further hearing.
