Edda man to pay 12 goats over attack reported to Police

 

Ekoli Edda community in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has slammed a fine of 12 goats on one Mr.Azubuike Felix Mbam, an indigene of the community for reporting an assault on him by suspected political thugs in the area to the police .

The political thugs were said to be members of a political group called MOREKANBEDONE which is allegedly owned by the Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Area, Barr. Eni Uduma Chima.

It was gathered that Mr. Azubuike had reported to the Police a recent attack on him which left him half dead by the political thugs.

Sources in the area told our correspondent that Mr. Azubuike popularly known by his facebook name, Ekoli Edda, was recently beaten to coma by the MOREKANBEDONE  thugs for allegedly making an insulting facebook comments against their leader, Eni Uduma Chima.

The attackers were led allegedly by the younger brother to the Chairman, Mr. Chima Uduma.

Poised to get justice, Mr. Azubuike after spending two weeks in the hospital receiving treatment, reported the matter to the Police which led to the arrest of some of the suspects .

The suspects were however, later released after one week pending the resumption of court activities in the state.

But the community said, by reporting the incident to the Police , Mr. Azubuike violated the tradition of the community and therefore, must pay the fine of 12 goats or its equivalent of N120,000.

Sensing that the victim was unwilling to pay the fine, the youths from the community allegedly working on the instruction of the politician stormed Azubuike's father's compound and slaughtered 12 goats.

The victim who spoke to our correspondent on phone confirmed the incident. 

He however, denied violating any tradition of the community, saying there was no such tradition before he reported the matter to the police.

" I didn't commit any offence, neither did I violate any tradition or custom of Ekoli Edda. It is my right to report an assault on me to the police .Or  is it better that I take the laws into my hands by retaliating my attack?. I have told the police to ask my attackers to bring a screenshot of the Facebook posts or comments where I insult them or their sponsors. They said I must pay for the 12 goats that they killed when they went to my village,Ugwuelu. But I will not pay because I did not commit any offence " Azubuike said.

Efforts to speak with the President of Ekoli Edda Town Union, Dr. Uka Mba Uka, on the matter proved abortive as he failed to picks several calls nor reply text messages sent to him.