By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Anambra Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF), a foremost advocate group for better society, Saturday, charged the Anambra State Police command to investigate, expose and bring to justice officers implicated in the shady handling of the case of late Uchenna James Okafor.
Okafor's case was reported by a social justice campaigner on a Twitter handle, @Ada_mummyya, who alleged that the deceased was arrested for a case of two fighting and taken to the police station on the 23rd of December 2022, and later reported to have died.
But PSPF in a statement signed by it Coordinator in Anambra State, Prince Chris Azor, and Executive Director of RULAAC, Comrade Okechukwu Nwanguma, condemned the act and urged the police to tender public apology over the poor handling of the case in question.
The statement read, "Anambra Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PDPF) has privileged information on alleged death in custody of one Uchenna James Okafor (male) in State SCID, annex, Awkuzu, December 2022. "
"The incident was reported by a social justice campaigner on a Twitter handle, @Ada_mummyya. It was alleged in the tweet that Uchenna James Okafor was arrested for a case of two fighting and taken to the police station on the 23rd of December 2022. The parents of Uchenna were asked to bring the sum of N150,000.00 to bail him.
"That by Thursday, when the parents got to the station, and inquired about Uchenna, they were informed that Uchenna had died. The Nigeria Police reacted to the Tweet. The Spokesman of the Nigeria Police CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in his reaction, said he asked the spokesman of Anambra State Police Command to look into the matter and revert to him."
"According to a statement by the Police which was reported by Channels Television on January 11, 2023, the Police said it had started a probe into the death of a suspect Uchenna Okoafor who died in detention. The Anambra State Police Spokesman, Ikenga Tochukwu in his response said, “It is a case of armed robbery and not a case of two fighting as alleged. The complainant positively identified the three suspects. There were marks of violence and serious wound on the body of the complainant as a result of the attack by the suspects.”
“The suspects’ statements were taken and they all confessed to the crime. They were detained with other suspects in the cell. The other suspects while in custody revealed that as they were sleeping, late Uchenna started acting abnormally. He screamed and hit his head on the wall before he slumped.
"The victim was taken to the hospital and he was confirmed dead by the doctor. No money was demanded or collected by the IPO of any Policeman as attested by the deceased father. The police extended an invitation to the social justice advocate and Twitter user @ada_mummyya for questioning after she claimed that the trio (suspects) were asked to bring N50,000.00 each for bail.
"The Police statement claimed that "the Twitter handler’s mendacious publication was aimed at inciting the public against the Police, therefore the command wishes to invite the Twitter handler, @ada_mummyya, to Anambra State Police Command by 11/1/2023 to come with evidence and witnesses of persons when the IPO demanded the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira." The Police promised to conduct an autopsy into the incident and reveal the cause of Unchenna’s death.
*CONCERNS:*
Anambra Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF) is concerned that two weeks after public statement by the Anambra State Police Command, nothing has been heard from the Police and parents of the victim.
The narrative of the police and that of the Twitter handle @Ada_mummyya are miles apart. One report is claiming two fighting; the Police are claiming armed robbery case.
It should be noted that section 35-37 of the new Police Act 2020, prohibits torture, degrading and inhuman treatment. Also section 62 of the new Act states that “arrested person must be released within 24 hours with or without bail, except in involves a capital offence, which is punishable with death. The police accepted that Uchenna James Okafor was arrested on December 23rd 2022 and died in their custody. Between the time of arrest of Uchenna and his death in detention became public, had a gap of 2 weeks.
In the statement issued by the police, it stated that information of the Twitter handle, @Ada_mummyya was misleading and targeted at inciting the public against the Police. We stand by the fact that Police are charged with maintaining law, order and safety of the public, and should obligated to partner with the community and be accountable in the discharge of their duty.
Anambra State Police command did not make any statement to the public on the death of Uchenna James Okafor in their custody, until the human right campaigner twitter exposed it. And it took the directive of Force PPRO Adejobi to make them respond on the incident.
Even after the directive from Force headquarters, It took Anambra State Police command two (2) days to issue a press statement on the death in custody of Uchenna James Okafor. Could it be that his death was being concealed? What action (s) did the Police take when it was discovered that Uchenna died in their custody?
Days are running into weeks after Anambra Police Command promised to conduct autopsy on the deceased. Stakeholders have yet to be briefed on the outcome.
Inquiries by Media personnel about the contacts of the deceased especially, parents and relatives have been rebuffed by the Police Authority.
During a visit by some journalists to the deceased Community, the traditional Ruler feigned ignorance of the incident. This is curious and points to attempt at a cover up.
*OUR PRAYER*
PSPF calls for proper investigation into the arrest, detention, causes and circumstances surrounding the death of Uchenna James Okafor. We demand that Anambra Police Command reveal the identity of the other citizens arrested with the deceased, and let the public know the State of their health, and extent their case has gone."
"We also, call on Anambra Police Command to issue public statement on the level of investigations and result of autopsy purportedly conducted on the deceased. Expose and bring to justice Police officers implicated in the shady handling of the case of late Uchenna James Okafor. Tender public apology over the poor handling of the case in question."