SaharaReporters has learned that police spokesperson Celestina Kalu was bribed to defend and exonerate Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's hit man in a recent, gruesome murder case.
SaharaReporters has learned that police spokesperson Celestina Kalu was bribed to defend and exonerate Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's hit man in a recent, gruesome murder case.
The governor had last week ordered Delta State police to immediately set free his hit man and former Oshimili North local council transition committee chairman, Innocent Esewezie, who allegedly murdered Emeka Onianwa during the April 11, 2015 governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The murder of Mr. Onianwa at Ibusa in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area (LGA), took place at the country home of Fred Ajudua, who along with his wife was said to have supervised the murder. Mr. Ajudua, his wife, and others accused of participating in the killing are now protected from arrest by an injunction issued on July 8 by a Delta State court.
Confiding in SaharaReporters, reliable police sources disclosed that the Delta State government and Mr. Ajudua have "sealed the mouth of the police," Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Kalu.
"Just watch, the PPRO will now be doing what she knows best doing after collecting her own cut," one source stated. "Exoneration and meaningless and baseless defense before the general public."
The visibly angry source added that Mr. Onianwa was "manacled and chained to the hospital bed and kept under the watchful eyes of armed police guard" as his life ebbed away. A cousin of Mr. Onianwa's who was present told the doctors to intervene but was "rebuffed" by the policemen and jailed for two days in Asaba, according to the source.
Mr. Onianwa died days later after being transferred to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
When contacted on the issue, Ms. Kalu disclosed that the Inspector General of Police in Abuja has since taken over the case and defended her actions, demanding concrete facts from her accusers, saying for example that a video of the murder in Mr. Ajudua's home would be conclusive.
“They alleged that the guy was murdered by the Ajuduas but to prove a murder case where you don’t have strong evidence is not easy," she said. "They are telling stories. The police can’t just arrest anybody and charge him for murder... [Mr. Ajudua] cannot be arrested until the investigation is concluded and there is strong evidence against him," Ms. Kalu stated.