The gruesome murder of Mrs. Maria Amadi, former head, Nursing services, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, has continued to generate a lot of controversies as both those that have confessed to the crime and those arrested in connection to the incident are still in detention.
Worried by the continued detention of the three colleagues of the late health worker, a coalition of Civil Society Groups in Enugu State is calling on the Attorney General of the state to as a matter of urgency, release the colleagues of the deceased
The health officer was shot dead in March, 2019, after which three of her colleagues in the hospital were charged to court and remanded in prision custody ever since.
However, the police continued investigations leading to the arrest and arraignment of three other suspects, who were said to have confessed to the crime.
Following the development, the CSOs said they found it curious that despite a memo to the Enugu State Attorney General from the police hierachy seeking a withdrawal of the charge against the deceased’s colleagues, the government had failed to do the needful.
Addressing journalists in Enugu yesterday, convener of the coalition, Comrade Igboke Onyebuchi said if the government failed to withdraw the charges, they would be left with no option than to embark on protest.
He said it was confirmed that about 15 persons were arrested on the course of the primary investigations and later, the real culprits, 3 of them, were apprehended and they made a voluntary confessionary statement how 3 of them, Chidiebere Ochi, Uchenna Onuorah and Amadi Ekwo murdered the late Mrs Maria Amadi, who they likely thought was carrying bag with
reasonable of money.
“In view of the apprehension of the 3 real suspects that owned up to killing of late Maria Amadi the Nigeria Police Legal department head quarters and investigation department of federal Anti-
Robbery Squared wrote reports dated 28th Nov, 2019. To the Enugu State government through the Office of the Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Enugu State and Office the Chief Judge of Enugu State was equally copied.”
He quoted the report written through the Commissioner of Police FSARS, let.no.CB: 3514/X/FHQ/FSARS/ABJ/T1/VOL.4/35 dated 27 th Sept, 2019 thus: “it was revealed that there is enough evidence to establish a prima facie case of Armed Robbery and Murder respectively against the three other suspects subsequently arrested namely: Chidiebere Ochi male, Amandi Ekwo male a.k.a Pharaoh and Uchenna Onuora male a.k.a Amingo arising from but not limited to their voluntary confessions.
“On the other hand, neither of them claimed to have known or in any manner attempted to implicate any of the Defendants already standing trial for the murder of Late Dr. Maria Amadi before the High Court of Enugu State in Charge No.E/165c/2019 B/W, hence the above underlined separate charge dated the 18th day of October, 2019 was filed against them and presently assigned to Enugu High Court No. 5, sitting at Enugu.”
Igbokwe said the CSOs needed to know “the interest of Enugu State in keeping innocent people in detention and stopping their salaries, considering that most of them have family that are dependent on them.
“Enugu State Government Should make public why they still kept the earlier accused in detention even when the Police who are legally responsible in apprehending and investigation of crime have made their report available for necessary actions.”
He vowed that “We the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations are giving Enugu State 2 weeks ultimatum to either make available their reason of continuous detention of this innocent persons even after the real culprit has been apprehended or we embark on a peaceful protest as injury to one remains injury to all.”
