By Jude Michael
A High Court sitting in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Tuesday, dismissed a petition filed by the police against Joe Omeha and three others in Enugwu Nanka.
The judgement comes after a protracted fight for justice by the defendants following the killing of Mr Tochukwu Onyemelukwe some two years ago in the community.
Not happy with the murder, the defendants had reported to the police in a bid to find justice for the murdered but in a surprise twist the police, without investigating the report, turned to accuse the defendants of giving false information.
The petitioners in the original alleged murder of Mr. Tochukwu Onyemelukwe, is Enugwu Nanka Development Union (registered Union) which Chief Joe Omeha, Godson Oforkansi and Martin okeke signed.
But instead of the police to conduct investigations, they turned round and charged the petitioners for false information.
But in Tuesday’s court session, 2nd July, 2024, at Court 48 in the Gwagwalada Jurisdiction of the Abuja High Court, the court dismissed the false information charge which was preferred against the four prominent citizens.
A source who preferred anonymity, regretted that those citizens’ effort to fulfill their constitutional and social responsibilities by openly reporting an alleged murder case to the police, was nearly frustrated by the action of the police.
‘The murder took place in broad daylight in the village of Enugwu Nanka, Nanka, in Anambra State. Without any investigation by the police, except relying on the false testimony of Igwe Godwin Ezekunie that there was no such case of death, the police turned around and charged the three petitioners, including a police witness.
‘The false information charge No. MCNA/61C/2023 was first filed in the Magistrate Court in Nanka Jurisdiction. However, the Anambra State Ministry of Justice got information about the absurd charge. It immediately prevented the state from embarrassment by stalling the court and withdrawing the case on the 13th of October, 2023. This was only for the same police to move to Abuja (out of jurisdiction) and prefer the same charge which has been struck out and discharged by the court,’ the source said.
Speaking to Fides, Barrister Chinedu Enemuo, who is a human rights activist and a Supernumerary Chief Superintendent of Police, expressed his shock at encountering a situation where petitioners, who could potentially be co-prosecutors and witnesses in a criminal matter, were charged with providing false information without a proper investigation by some members of the Nigerian police.
He said it was a severe cost to the reputation of the police, further noting that if he had not known about the case where the police were unaware of improper activities conducted by some officers, he might have assumed that the entire police force was corrupt.
‘However, being a police supernumerary, I took it upon himself to become informed and discovered the situation’s absurdity.
‘I further mentioned that advising and managing my community is challenging because some individuals in police uniform act unprofessionally by intimidating and charging brave witnesses with false information. This makes it difficult for me to encourage people to assist in policing their community. Therefore, police organisations must realise this problem and build better community policing,’ Enemuo said.
