Breaking News: Tension In Enugu Over Death Of Chief Magistrate In Prison Custody

picture of the boy abused 


 
NHRC Executive Secretary


Odogwuemekaodogwu.com can authoritatively report exclusively that a Chief Magistrate in Enugu State, Mrs Ifeoma Egbonnaji reportedly died of 'frustration' this morning about 4:00 hours in the Enugu state maximum prison located at old park area.


Odogwuemekaodogwu.com recalls that Egbonnaji was detained along with her husband and daughter by the anti-human trafficking squad of the Enugu State Police Command following an order of the Police Commissioner, Mohammed Adamu over allegations of abduction and child abuse.
 
Gov Sullivan
The Chief Magistrate after being arraigned was remanded in Enugu maximum prison and was allegedly booed when she stepped into the prison by inmates who alleged one thing or the other on her and even cajoled her.
Officials of the Maximum prison who would not want to be named confirmed that the magistrate died this morning at the prison out of frustration she could be subjected to such a dehumanizing state at her  position even after the state , her employers suspended her.
Director Center for Moral Mentorship , Maureen Chima while speaking on the development to odogwuemekaodogwu.com said she has just heard about the breaking story and has confirmed from prison officials that it was true even she described Magistrate Ifeoma’s death in custody as regrettable. 

She decried the connivance of some bad eggs in the Nigerian police and the Magistrates especially and the Judiciary at large in frustrating fair hearing as she has been a victim of police impunity.

She sympathized with the family of the child victim, the family of Egbonnaji and the Enugu state judiciary if actually Egbonnaji died in prison for the sad development which could have been avoided and prayed the judiciary should leave above board for better criminal justice in Nigeria.  

Trouble began for Mrs Egbonnaji who presides over Chief Magistrate Court 3 at Orji River, Enugu following a petition to the CP accusing her and her husband of abducting and inflicting wounds on an 11-year-old girl, Chinaza Armah at Ibe Agwu Nike inland town, Enugu.
Following the publication, the state government was said to have moved swiftly through the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to suspend the magistrate from work to investigate the allegations.
 Besides, the state police commissioner was also said to have forwarded the case file on Mrs Egbonnaji to the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP preparatory to filing criminal charges against the suspects.
Odogwuemekaodogwu.com recalls further that  Adamu had confirmed that the Enugu State Attorney General has suspended the magistrate  and  the child, Chinasa Armah  has been released to her mother, Theresa Armah.
 Chinasa was  under the care  of the wife of the Ebonyi State governor through the state’s Family Law Centre.
CP Adamu stressed that he is determined to ensure that justice is done in the matter, promising that  the law will take its course as, according to him, no one should be treated as a sacred cow because the law is no respecter of anybody.
Anti-Human Trafficking squad of the Enugu state police command had stormed the house of the Chief Magistrate with the help of one of the victim’s sisters, Ndidiamaka who took the policemen  to the house. The police team was said to have met Chinaza sleeping on the floor within the Magistrate’s compound with fresh wounds and scars all over her body after which they rescued her.
Before she could be rescued, Adamu said the Magistrate had put up some resistance by blocking the policemen access to her compound and later demanding a court warrant.
CP said, “I have to write  a letter to the Attorney General and Commissioner of  Justice requesting that  the Magistrate be released to the police because she has a case to answer and as a result, she and her husband were handed over to my men. Thereafter I interrogated the Chief Magistrate and her husband  as well as the  victim in my  office on February 20, 2014”, the police boss disclosed.
In her statement of defence, the Chief Magistrate was said to have alleged that  Chinaza stole her N400,000 after she took her into her house as a maid. On what brought scars on the victim’s body, the police alleged that Chinaza was beaten with PHCN cable in a bid to make her own up to stealing the money.
Mother of the victim, 50-year-old Mrs Theresa, said that poverty forced her to allow her daughter stay with the Magistrate as a house maid. 
“I am a widow. My husband died 10 years ago. I have seven children, two males and five females. It was hardship that prompted me  to release my fifth daughter,  Chinaza to their house on April 22, 2011”, she stated.
But the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Ben Angwe, odogwuemekaodogwu.com reportedly ordered an investigation into a case of child abuse against an Enugu State chief magistrate.
 Chinasa Armah, an 11 years old who lost her father 10 years ago, the Commission ordered the Enugu State Coordinator of the commission to collaborate with relevant authorities and immediately commence a full scale investigation into the case.
Odogwuemekaodogwu.com reported Angwe as saying “If it is found that the suspect has a case to answer, the commission would collaborate with the relevant authorities to ensure that justice is done” .
He also called on all the stakeholders of the Criminal Justice Administration, CJA, to ensure that perpetrators of any form of child abuse are brought to justice and their victims adequately compensated as prescribed by Nigerian law.