—–Our son is with SARS—Parents testify
—–He was arrested by police on April 29—witness
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From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi
Upper Class Hotel was demolished August 1, 2013 by the Anambra state Government following what every body believed was an impeccable exhibit against the owner of the hotel Chief Bonaventure Mokwe. He was allegedly caught with two fresh human heads and 2 AK 47 rifles with ammunition.
The action the Governor, Mr Peter Obi performed based on existing law by the Anambra state House of Assembly empowering him so to do. From developments now, it appears Obi acted on false information but that attracted applause, commendations and counter reactions then and subsequently Mokwe was charged along side three others while others were said to be at large for killing one Nnalue Okafor and allegations of possession of arms and ammunition as well as two fresh human heads.
But there was confusion yesterday when Sunday Nation after four months of investigation on who Nnalue Okafor is and how he was declared missing burst the family of Nnalue Okafor at Ifite Ogwari in Anyamelum local government area of Anambra state. And revealed a chilling story of how the police arrested Nnalue at Silas street Onitsha as a MASSOB member and narrated how they were later invited to Awkuzu Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS)by a SARS member identified as Emma because of their son.
The man who was with Nnalue Okafor when he was arrested and a member of MASSOB too Igbonyeukwu Onyedika known also as Ngige confirmed he was with Nnalue Okafor , 23 years old on April 29, 2013 when Police Hilux van picked him and whisked him away at Silas street Onitsha , Rollas Hotel axis without eating the food he ordered for. He confirmed also that Nnalue is a MASSOB member.
The Parents Mr Nweke Okafor and Mrs Nwaoza Okafor narrated how they visited SARS on three occasions on invitation of SARS officials that their son was there and their attention was needed for the sake of her son, and how they were prevented from seeing him demanding police to produce their son dead or alive. They insisted that there son was in the police custody from April 29 as testified by his friend and ally until SARS got involved and was in custody of SARS by August to October she went last to SARS on invitation of SARS. They knew Nnalue was a MASSOB member.
Confusion best described the mood at the Nigerian Police station when confronted by the revelation that Nnalue they said Mokwe killed was in their custody, but the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP , Emeka Chukwuemeka insisted he would not speak on the issue of Mokwe since they have charged him to court.
Every effort made to get him react proved abortive as he insisted Mokwe was culpable following painstaking investigation by the SARS and reminded that he was found with fresh human heads?
Efforts to see the commissioner of police Gwary Akila Usman or the OC SARS , James Nwafor was not successful as Chukwuemeka said CP was busy and having spoken , there is no need seeing Nwafor. That Nwafor confirmed was okay by him.
It would be recalled that police has charged Mokwe and others for killing Nnalue Okafor at an Onitsha Magistrate Court on 17th of October , 2013. That is where the confusion is coming from now.
In a charge sheet No MO/502C/2013 between Commissioner of Police Vs Bonaventure Mokwe 52 years, Justin Nwankwo 29 years, Ikechukwu Uche 25 years and Chibueze Ikemere 34 years, with others at large were accused of murder of one Nnalue Okafor unlawfully.
The 4 point charge sheet before an Onitsha Magistrate’s court read stated that Mokwe and others killed Nnalue Okafor and were seen with two fresh human heads at Upper Class Hotel Onitsha and as well illegally possession of two AK 47 rifle Nos 1266 and 3170 with 56 rounds of ammunition.
Mokwe in a reaction said he is pained by the family name rubbished by the allegations and would not blame Peter Obi for his actions because he was acting on a false information although he could have exercised some caution. He prayed the Commissioner of Police to ensure torture to obtain information is ruled out from SARS as himself as CP will testify doing anything for his freedom if found in similar circumstance of torture at SARS if not that he is CP.
But a human rights group Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN) raised alarm how police could arrest some people only to turn around and accuse others of killing them in a trumped up charges in order to cover up their tracks and have an innocent citizens perish for something they know nothing about.
Programme/Advocacy Coordinator of NOPRIN Foundation, Comrade Okechukwu Nwanguma described as preposterous for trained officers to still engage in dark ages method to illicit information and appealed for disbanding of the practice to enable upright people not suffer for the wicked.
