FIC Report (Abia State) – The Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Onuoha Ogwe who released the Inmates during a jail delivery conducted at the High Court Complex Umuahia said the exercise is in pursuant to his schedule of duties bestowed on his office.
Justice Ogwe noted that most of those released have nothing to show their continued stay at the prison yard and advised them to turn a new leaf and contribute positively to the society instead of constituting nuisance.
Speaking to the Press after their release, some of the Inmates including Anyanwu Daniel and Ifeanyi Ukpo identified impatience, hot temper and exuberance as major contributory factor to Youth crimes and advised Nigerian Youths to distance themselves from acts capable of implicating them.
Reports show that most of those released have their case files burnt at the State CID fire incident, as twenty six (26) Inmates were enlisted for the exercise while the jail delivery continues on the 18th of next month.
In a related development, a Magistrate Court sitting in Umuahia has remanded four persons at the Correctional Service Centre, Umuahia for alleged murder.
The defendants Amarachi Innocent ‘F’ (50Years) Obiuto Nwankwo ‘M’ (41Years), Ikeagwuchi Jacob (31Years) and Iheakachi Onyedinmanazu (40Years) and Others at large were said to be on the 31st day of June 2021 at Umunwankwo Village Umuchima Nnaji Autonomous Community in Isiala Ngwa North Magisterial District unlawfully conspired amongst themselves to commit felony to wit; Murder of one Chima Ephraim & thereby committed and offence punishable under section 324 of the criminal code cap 80 vol. 3 laws of Abia State 2005.
On the second count, they were said to be at the same Place & date while with offensive weapons such as machetes, sticks and beat up, wounded one Chima Ephraim all over his body which caused his death & threw his body into a flowing River, thereby committed an offence punishable under sections 319(1) of the criminal code cap 80 vol. 3 laws of Abia State 2005.
The Court presided by Magistrate Nwankpa Chucks said the Magistrate Court lacks Jurisdiction over the matter as it bothers on murder and makes orders that the defendants be remanded at the correctional service centre Umuahia adding that they are at liberty to seek for their bail at the High Court and orders that the Original case file be transmitted to the office of the Attorney General for further actions.
In a Press interview with Judiciary Correspondents, the mother of the deceased, Mrs. Ngozi Ogaloye from Delta State said her son was killed, butchered, put into a bag and was thrown into the Imo River. Mrs. Ogaloye said she lost her husband since 2014 at the age of 44years old adding that since June 2021 she has been looking for her son who traveled home and was nowhere to be found.
She said a friend who came back home from Lagos for Christmas informed her that her son was killed since seven (7) Months ago.
She said one of the defendants Amarachi Innocents who is a wife to the elder brother of the deceased father made a confessional statement while in police custody that she gave #100,000 (One Hundred Thousand) to kill her son Chima Ephraim.
Also speaking Mr. Tony Barry Nwaduba a Justice of Peace from Delta State and a cousin to the mother of the deceased said the matter is a pathetic issue, a strong injustice to human for people to kill the young boy and throw his corpse into a River, and asks for a diverse to exhume the corpse.
He further appealed to the State Government to look into the matter to prevent subsequent re-occurrence and appreciated the Abia State Police Command as they have shown they are professional Police Men, for doing marvelously well in discharging their duties. In his words “Any where I see a Police Man from Abia State because of what they’ve done so far I keep on doffing my hat for them.”
