- Police arrest suspect, send him to prison
BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
A family in Enu-Nweke village, Okposiokwu community of Ohaozara Local government Area, Ebonyi State,has accused a man, Chigozie Onu, of causing the death of their daughter, Ogechi Okorie and insisted that Onu must marry the deceased’s corpse as their tradition demands.
The Point learned that Ogechi was the lover of Onu and that they had yet to be married before her recent death.
Ogechi allegedly died after she attempted to abort her pregnancy for her boyfriend, Onu.
Speaking for the bereaved family in an interview with our correspondent, an elder brother of the deceased, Samuel Okorie, accused Onu, popularly known in the community as Ezenwa, of being responsible for the untimely death of Ogechi, declaring that “whoever impregnates any of their daughters is expected to carry out marital rites on her.”
As their custom demands, Okorie maintained that Onu must marry Ogechi’s corpse to serve as punishment for allegedly killing an unborn child.
Okorie narrated how Ogechi died saying, “On the 21st day of June, 2023, around 6:30pm to 7:00pm, Chigozie Onu, popularly known as Ezenwa, who happens to be my sister’s boyfriend, came to our family house in Okposiokwu in the presence of our other younger siblings and told Ogechi, my sister, to prepare, that they were going for a party.
“Immediately, she quickly got dressed and he carried her on his motorcycle. He did not bring her back that same day until around 5:00am the following day. As a car washer, I usually wake early to fetch water for my business. So, when I got up and was about going to fetch the water, I saw Ezenwa bringing my sister back. Hekept her in front of our house and zoomed off. Then, I started calling him back but he didn’t listen.
“I went closer to my sister because I thought she was drunk but I then discovered she was dead. I called Ezenwa and ran after him but to no avail. When I raised the alarm, our people came out and an official statement was made at the police station. Manhunt commenced while the corpse is currently at the mortuary.”
He added, “She (deceased) was his girlfriend; no problem, but in this circumstance, as a family, we demand that Chigozie Onu perform marital rites of his girlfriend even in death as our custom demands. We found out he impregnated Ogechi and attempted aborting the baby with herbal concoction, which led to her death. In Okposiokwu, when someone intentionally maims or kills another person’s child, he or she will be made to marry the deceased as punishment for the offence.”
Meanwhile, the police have arrested Onu and after completion of investigation, dragged him before a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Abakaliki on July 18, 2023.
The suspect was slammed with one count-charge of murder.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Osaro Wisdom, informed the court that Onu administered some liquid substance,suspected to be native abortion medicine, to Ogechi, which led to her death.
The charge read, “That you, Onu Chigozie, on the 22nd day of June 2023 at Enu-Nweke Okposiokwu Ohaozara in the Abakaliki Magisterial District, did murder one Ogechi Okorie by administering to her some quantity of liquid substance suspected to be native abortion medicine and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap 33, Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
Onu’s plea was not taken because of the capital nature of the offence. His counsel, Francis Nwelom, could not secure his release on bail.
Consequently, Magistrate Lynda Ogbodo, ordered the remand of the accused person in the Nigeria Correctional Centre located in Abakaliki.
