The family of the late Chukwuma Ihezie, who allegedly died in police custody after severe torture, has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, appealing to him to order for an autopsy on the corpse to enable them conduct the burial.
Our correspondent recalled that Chukwuma died in detention six days after he was arrested by the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Enugu State Police Command.
The police had tagged the Engineering graduate, an armed robbery suspect, an allegation his family swiftly denied.
It was, however, gathered that few months after, the police authorities, after an investigation from the force headquarters, found out that the deceased was indeed not an armed robber.
Spokesperson for the family, Mr. Chinedu Iheze said the police, after thorough investigation, discovered that their son was not a criminal.
He added that consequently, the car, laptop and other personal effects of the deceased which was seized by the policemen that arrested him, have been released to the family.
Mister Ihezie, however, said although the police have asked them to go ahead and bury the corpse of their son, saying it would be difficult to do so as the Enugu State Police Command had allegedly turned down a request for autopsy.
The letter signed by Chinedu Ihezie, on behalf of the family of the deceased is praying President Goodluck Jonathan to prevail on the police authorities to among other things, “arrest, dismiss and prosecute the officers involved in the matter.
“Conduct a genuine post-mortem examination on Chukwuma’s corpse and release his corpse to us for burial”.
“Chukwuma Ihezie was callously murdered in police custody six (6) days after being arrested. He was alleged to have “aided” an armed robber (still unknown and cannot be provided) to commit crime which is unfounded. Our heart is bleeding, our hope is in God Almighty through you. The future hope and light of the family has been so extinguished. We humbly cry unto you sir.
Chukwuma Ihezie is a native of Umuozu Ezumoha in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State. Born in 1983, he was the last of the family.
He is a 2013 mechanical Engineering graduate of IMT, Enugu, who out of determination engaged in cab driving to earn his living and pays his school fees. He continued with the job even after graduation since getting a job is a daunting task.
