From Nweke Nweke, Awka
The attention of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Delta State has been drawn through a petition from the Chambers of E. O Okafor & Associates on the proposed plan to sue the ministry for One Billion Naira, following the rrest, detention of one Jude Uchechukwu, Chigozie Chukwunta, Pius Ihionu, Udoji Okonkwo and Christopher Adimoha, all members of Nigeria Police established Jusfuo Vigilance Group.
According the petition properly addressed to the Attorney General, Ministry of Justice, Delta State of Nigeria, Asaba titled ‘Malicious Prosecution of Our Client in Charge No. A/29C/2011. One Billion Naira Compensation in Favour of Our Clients and Pre-Action Notice’ dated October 10, 2016 and made available to 247ureports.com at Onitsha, Ananbra. State yesterday, the legal luminary stated it that his clients were special security outfit duly registered and commissioned by the Commissioner of Police, Ananbra State for the sole purpose of helping them in combating crime throughout South East and South-South geo-political zone Nigeria.
Stating that Jusfuo Vigilance Group had aided the police in the combat of heinous crimes in the recent past, it was gathered that the group has arrested most notorious armed robbers and kidnappers and handed same over to the police for prosecution.
But instead of encouraging Jusufo Vigilance Group for works well done for combating crimes even in areas police fear to go, one CSP Adebola (former O/c SARS, Delta State Police Command), out of envy and jealousy for commendations, encomiums and rewards from both within the states of their operations and the police headquarters, Abuja been bestowed on the local security men for their gallantry in fighting crimes, maliciously, roped in the crime fighters to be prosecuted or even killed.
On what broke the Carmel’s back, the petitioners through their counsel pointed out that on April 19, 2011, following an intelligence report over kidnap of someone somewhere in Okwe, Delta State, Jusofu group, led by their boss (Jude Uchechukwu), as usual, set out to rescue the victim and in fact succeeded but typical of unscrupulous elements in Nigeria police, the then Delta State SARS Commander (CSP Adebola), arm-twisted the vigilance men, having arrested them and maliciously accused them of being the kidnappers they were thrilling.
In making sure that he humiliates the innocent men, CSP Adebola, it was gathered, arraigned Jude Uchechukwu and his men in one of the Magistrate Courts seating in Asaba in Charge No. A/29C/2011, having accused them of kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, illegal possession of fire-arms, demanding with menace and murder.
While arraigned in High Court at Asaba before His lordship, Hon. Justice T. C Mokwe, they were maliciously incarcerated to languish in jail for soiled seven months after being tortured, maimed and harassed by the blood-thirsty Adebola and his SARS men in crime the SARS victims knew nothing about.
Sadly, 247ureports.com authoritatively gathered that one of the vigilance group men, Onukwube Cosmas Okoye, lost his life in prison as a result of the torture and inhuman treatment meted on him by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad men under the supervision of CSP Adebola.
“The psychological trauma and torture meted on our clients remain unquantifiable but thank God of justice who vindicated them. Beside been vindicated by competent court of jurisdiction, our clients insisted on fishing out the real culprits of the crime for which they were incarcerated.
“Their efforts paid off when they arrested the leader of the kidnappers, Anthony Ucheke and handed him over to the police. May it interest you that, Anthony Ucheke confessed having committed the crime for which our clients were arrested, tortured and incarcerated and left to languish in jail for seven months” He submitted.
Looking as if God is on side of the petitioners, the same policeman (Kelvin Eze) who investigated the innocent vigilance group men while in SARS is the same IPO who is currently investigating Anthony Ucheka.
It would be recalled that one Ibrahim, a suspected kidnapper who was fingered in the matter which led to the incarceration of Mr. Jude Uchechukwu and his men is also answering another kidnapping case and it have been discovered that the said Ibrahim is now cooling his feet at Ogwashiuku prison.
“It is therefore, crystally clear from the foregoing that our clients were maliciously prosecuted by Delta State Ministry of Justice. It was a case of the State bouncing and punishing innocent citizens without just cause. No amount of compensation can assuage the defamation and incarceration of our clients for seven months in the prison. As good citizens, our clients have since been involved in their good works of fighting crime and are in heavy security alliance with the Delta State Police Command in fighting crime.
Making it abundantly clear that the innocents tagged criminals will be adequately compensated by the Delta State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, E.O Okafor &Associates, on behalf of the SARS cum DPP victims requests that paltry sum of One Billion Naira only be paid to Jufuso Vigilance Group for malicious prosecution, deformation, torture and incarceration in the prison yard for seven months.
Apart from the injustice the people who swore never to allow kidnappers and armed robbers have their way in our society, it was alleged that the then SARS Commander, Delta State Police Command, out of envy and jealousy, demolished Jude Uchechukwu’s property of thirty flats located at 29 Onwa Nwachinemere Street, Oduke, Okwe, Delta State.
“The IPO, Anthony Eze, also confirmed the burning of our clients’ hummer bus they use in operation. We shall be glad that the said sum be quietly paid to avoid long protracted litigation” The petitioners ended.
