Primary six pupil’s death: Mother raises alarm over alleged release of suspects
A 40-year-old woman, Christy Garuba, yesterday, raised the alarm over the alleged release of suspects arrested by the Police in connection with the death of her 11- year – old son, Joshua Sunday.
The deceased, a primary six pupil of Uzoigwe Primary School, Asaba, was gruesomely murdered in cold blood on February 3, 2023 by suspects in Asaba, and his body was discovered inside a drum at No 7, Usonia Street, West End, Asaba, the state capital.
Madam Garuba, a civilian staff of Delta State Police Command attached to A Division Police Station, Asaba, accused the police of “compromise”, for hurriedly releasing the suspects without proper investigations in the murder case.
According to her, the release of the suspects speaks volume, saying that she might be denied justice at the end of the day.
She said: “Police had arrested and hurriedly released about 14 suspects while other residents in the compound were allegedly left untouched.
She said: “The police even released the suspects before they (the Police) deem it necessary to take my statement.
“When I was eventually invited by the investigating Police Officer (IPO) one, ASP Dickson Abere to give my statement, I went with my legal counsel, because “I no longer understand the position of the case.”
The deceased’s mother, who also accused the police of poor investigation, alleged that relevant persons were neither invited nor interrogated at the scene of crime. She said the police are treating the matter with levity because of her social status, and claimed that those arrested and given bail instantly are very rich people that can influence and change the narrative.
Contacted, spokespersons for the Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Bright Edafe, said the police are still on the matter, but the suspects were released based on the evidence before the Investigating Police Officer (IPO).
Edafe said: “If you arrest people in a case, and there is not enough reason tracing their involvement in the matter, and you charge the matter to court, the judge will make a caricature of the police.”
