Crime
Murder Of Chukwunweke Alawo: DPP Delta To Prosecute Suspects, Confirms They Have Cases To Answer
The Director of Public Prosecutions for the Delta State Government has issued his legal advice in the case of the murder of Mr Chukwunweike Alawo, who was gunned down in broad daylight in March last year.
Mr Alawo was the only son of his widowed mother and was a resident of Aboh Ogwashi-Uku.
Recall that crack detectives of the Nigerian Police Force Criminal Investigations department (FCID) Alagbon had after a year of neglect of the murder case by the police in Delta arrested some of the main suspects in the murder case three months ago.
After a comprehensive investigation which included the autopsy and recovery of the pellets and gunshot evidence, the police charged Mr Iloba Obata, Mr Emeka Onwadiamu and Mr Ugo Emordi for their part in the murder.
Mr Iloba Obata is also currently facing other murder and rape charges unrelated to this new murder.
A confidential source has confirmed that the police headquarters in Asaba has recently just received the legal advice with reference DTMJ3/6/110943/14 and signed by Enyi J.N. Esq who is an Assistant Chief State Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In the legal advice, the Assistant Chief State Counsel confirmed that the suspects have cases to answer and their cases for murder and conspiracy to commit murder under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C21, Vol 1 laws of Delta State of Nigeria is disclosed against all the suspects with the exception of one Ugo Emordi.
The Assistant Chief State Counsel also urged the police in the legal advice to go after the fleeing suspects who include the alleged mastermind, Mr Chiedu Onwadiamu alias slow poison and Mr Ekene Francis Ugbaja who have fled and are currently on the run.
The suspects that have been confirmed to have cases are expected to be formally charged by the state government at the Delta State High Court soon.
When contacted by our correspondent, a senior member of the Aboh Ogwashi-Uku community, Deacon Charles Akor expressed his gratitude to the state government for its actions in the arrests and urged the police to arrest the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.
He also appealed to the police to wade into the disruptions of the farm life of peasant farmers in the area who are being attacked every day by suspected gunmen brought by members of the Ibusa community in connivance with some members of the Aboh Ogwashi-Uku community who are hell bent on selling their farm lands.
According to him, “these people from Ibusa are being sponsored by big men and are grabbing every land in our place.”
Adding: “They have all these cultists and gunmen who shoot anyone who resists them. We are appealing to the governor and police to rescue us.”