People of Okpalaegwu kindred of Amawa Ogbunike, Oyi local government area of Anambra State have raised alarm over alleged attempt by the police to shield suspected mastermind of the kidnap of their son, Emeka Okoye from facing the law.

They sent a distress call to the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar Adamu, asking him to direct the Nigerian Police Zone 9 headquarters, Umuahia, Abia State to charge the suspect to court.

The people, suspecting compromise on the part of the officers handling the matter without the knowledge of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Zone 9, asked the IGP to call for the case file for onward charging of the matter to court.

They specifically asked the Acting IGP to direct the “Police Crack Squad” and “Anti Vice Squad” of the Zone 9, to without further delay, charge to court the case its investigation have been allegedly completed since January.

They alleged that “the principal suspect and mastermind of Mr. Okoye’s kidnap, has been boasting in Ogbunike, that justice is not for a common man or poor fellow, and the case will not see the light of day.”

The kinsmen had earlier in a petition through their lawyer, Chief C. Obiwenite Obimuanya, to the AIG Zone 9 Umuahia, dated 12 April 2019, complained against the delay in charging the alleged mastermind and principal suspect, who is also Mr. Okoye’s relation to court.

The petition partly read, “Emeka Okoye was kidnapped in October 2018, tortured and constrained to sign a document against his will by his kidnappers before he was released on 7th October, last year after the person that instigated his kidnap confirmed that the signature on the document he was made to sign is his (Emeka’s) signature.

“The kidnappers told him that they were sent by their boss whom he (Emeka), has been disloyal to and warned him to desist from disobeying their boss or they will kill him, before forcing him to sign a document for them.”

The principal suspect was said to have been arrested and investigated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Awkuzu, Anambra State, “but at the point of being charged to Court, by SARS, Awkuzu, the suspect wrote a counter-petition to Police Zone 9 Umuahia, to thwart his being charged to court, and the case file was transferred to Umuahia.”

Chief Obimuanya in his petition for the community said: “Emeka Okoye is a victim of modest means, and our clients have not forgotten that it was the aftermath of the earlier Police raid inspired and sponsored by the suspect that brought on the complications that killed his less than 2 years old only child.”

“We therefore, solicit that the IGP and the AIG Zone 9 Umuahia should prevail on the Crack Squad and Anti Vice Squad, Zone 9 Umuahia to charge the suspect to court to correct the wrong impression that the administration of criminal justice is for sale and to avoid bloodshed in the community now the youths are becoming agitated over his (suspects) activities.” (The Nation)

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