The family has been torn apart over who should be paid compensation for the death of their son from the state panel of inquiry on police brutality and extrajudicial killing,(#EndSARS).
The family of the late Friday Arunsi, a young man killed by a drunk police officer at Ebem community, in the Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State is currently in turmoil.
According to Tribune, the family has been torn apart over who should be paid compensation for the death of their son from the state panel of inquiry on police brutality and extrajudicial killing,(#EndSARS).
It was gathered that the late Friday Arunsi was on April 17, 2020, shot dead by a police officer attached to the Ebem police station, Ohafia, who was under the influence of alcohol.
The deceased’s father, Mr Ifeanyi Arunsi and the deceased’s maternal family, Umu Nneibo maternal family, at the resumed hearing on the matter, disagreed before the panel over who would receive the expected compensation for the deceased if granted.
Arunsi claimed that the maternal home’s representative, Mr Kings Hart Ukpai, never contributed anything to the training of the deceased from birth as he only got to know the late Friday in January 2017.
“My son was 19 years old when he was killed by the police. Mr Kings Hart Ukpai contributed nothing even from birth. I have been the one training him from primary school until he took his WAEC (West African Senior School Certificate Examination).
“January 2017 was the first time Mr Kings Hart Ukpai knew my son. My son was buried in Ebem Ohafia, on a piece of land I borrowed N5 million to buy. The Umu Nneibo maternal family did not play any role in his training and burial.
“They were cautioned by the council of chiefs and elders whom I reported the matter to when they pushed me to the wall. At the burial, over N1 million was realised. Mr Kings Hart Ukpai took everything. They didn’t give me anything,” he said.
Chairman of the panel, Justice Sunday Imo, rtd, urged the two parties to stop quarrelling and concentrate on the extrajudicial killing of their son. He further warned that the families cannot be certain that compensation would be recommended for the deceased.
Justice Imo adjourned the trial till April 7, for defence.