Family Accuses Police for Killing of 31-year-old Cab Driving Graduate, Petitions FG

A suspect who allegedly died in police custody was killed to cover up a secret, his family has claimed, and has therefore petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan for an autopsy order to confirm how he died.

"Chukwuma was killed to cover up a secr which could have been unveiled if he wa allowed to talk," the family of late Chukwuma Ihezie said in a statement signed by Chinedu Ihezie on behalf of th family.

Reports have it that Chukwuma died in detention six days after he was arrested men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Enugu State Police Command.

According to the petition by the decease family; "On January 12, Chukwuma went for his normal cab work and was arreste by Independence Layout, Enugu policem for picking a passenger whom the police falsely labelled an armed robber.

"He was kept under detention in their station under a DPO (names withheld). H was later transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, office by Zakari Ya along with his handwritten statement. O January 18, Chukwuma was shot on the spinal cord and killed by SARS without a fair hearing in any court of law and his corpse dumped in UNTH, Ituku Ozala, Enugu, mortuary on Saturday, January 1

Chukuma, an engineering graduate was accused by the police to be an armed robbery suspect. Investigation however later showed that the deceased was innocent.

The family's spokesperson, Mr. Chinedu Ihezie, said that the police had released their son's car, laptop and other persona effects, and had asked them to go and bury their dead. He however said the family would be unable to bury their dea son until the Enugu State Police Comma agree to its request for autopsy.

The Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu could not confirm the incident, as he said he was aware.

The family has therefore in the letter addressed to President Jonathan, copied the Senate President, David Mark; Mathe Omegara, representing Okigwe North federal constituency, House of Representatives; Chairman, Police Servic Commission; the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, Enug State Command; and the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Abuja, called for justice.

"Our heart is bleeding, our hope is in Go Almighty through you. The future hope a light of the family has been so extinguished. We humbly cry unto you si the family said, and also requested the conduct of a genuine post-mortem examination on Chukwuma's corpse and release of his corpse for burial.

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