The family of late Mr Nnamdi Nwite of Agbaja Unuhu community, Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has demanded the immediate release of the body of dear son for burial, stressing that they are not interested in engaging in any form of litigation over the death of their son.
Speaking to journalists at Abakaliki High Court on Friday, the legal counsel to the family Barrister Obinna Nwankwo said, the family through his chamber has written to the Commissioner of police on the 29th of August, 2024, as well as the community, to release the body of their son for burial but the police has not acted on the request till date.
Barrister Obinna Nwankwo, principal of D.O Nwankwo Ezeoma and Co, and lawyer representing the family of Mr Nwite Nwiboko-ugo of Agbaja Unupfu in Abakaliki local government Area, said, "the family I'm representing is of Mr Nnamdi Nwite who was injured sometime August by some unknown persons while he was attending a function and was taken to the hospital, subsequently, he died.
"The family after their meeting with their kindred as well the community at large, resolved that they do not want to prosecute the cause of the death of their son and in doing that, an affidavit was deposed to that very fact by the biological brother of the decease, Mr Ekene Nwite.
"That affidavit was served together with an application written on the behalf of the family by the kindred as well, the community to the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi state command, that was on the 29th day of August, 2024.
"But, notwithstanding the said application and request for the release of body of late, Mr Nnamdi Nwite the police did not in any way report to the family or made their decision known to the family consequent upon the family briefed me as a lawyer, I wrote a reminder to the Commissioner of Police, after my reminder, we were suprise that today being 6th of September, 2024 that somebody is being arraigned, by name, one Barrister S.U Nnunu over a murder case. It is clear that the family I am representing never made any complain against anybody, and as to the circumstances that surrounded the death of late Mr Nnamdi Nwite, the family made their position known to the Commissioner of Police, that they don't know who injured the deceased. No petition written formally to the CP by the family, and up till now, the police has refused to grant the family the permission to have their deceased brother buried.
"And,we have also made it clear to the police that by the virtue of the tradition, belief and religion of my client, they do not believe in autopsy. we are still saying that nothing should be done to that body. We are not interested in litigation,we are not interested in investigation, how so ever.
"Our humble application is that let the whole world hear that, let them release the body of our brother, late Nnamdi Nwite for burial, as we speak, the siblings as well as the wife, and family are being traumatized over this issue. They said that our brother had died, and nothing can bring him back to life and therefore,we are not interested in any other thing, allow us to accord him the last respect, he deserved and they are doing this without any inducement or coercion from any quarter.
"Every criminal matter is between the state and the defendant or suspect as you may call it, however, we are not interested. if the police in their own investigation, probably, in their finding deemed it necessary to arraign anybody, it is not our concern; our interest is, we are not interested in litigation, and let his body be released to us.
The deceased immediate elder brother, Mr Ekene Nwite who described the incident as shocking appealed to the government to release the deceased body as they're not interested in litigation.
"The death of my younger brother was painful, but I will not make case with his death knowing that I am the elder brother, I am calling on the government to release that my brother who I was the one that trained him in primary school before going to learn welder, after graduation,the profession was not favourable to him and he went and learn carpentry with no help from government or individual and wouldn't like anybody to bring problem between my family and anybody for any reason whatsoever.
"If anybody is interested in his burial should come to the family and talk to us, not keeping our late brother when we are not interested in litigation and making case with his dead body.
On his part, the member representing Abakaliki South constituency in the state House of Assembly, Mr Joseph Nnunu whose younger brother is been accused of murdering Mr Nnamdi Nwite said, "Really, as an Honourable member representing the constituency, I visited the community and immediate family of the deceased person day before yesterday and they told me vividly that they don't have any case with my younger brother, Barrister Nnunu whom Police arrested for killing their brother that he was not the person that killed their son, that their son was actually murdered but they don't know who killed him, but as family, that they have resolved that they don't need a case and that they have written to Commissioner of Police that the case should discontinued so that they carry their son and give him proper burial asking police to stay clear and allow them to carry their son and bury him.
"Nobody is above the law, but shouldn't condemn somebody who God has not condemned and we are appealing to the state governor to listen to this matter and throw his weight to ensure that peace reign in the area".
Meanwhile, when contacted, Ebonyi state Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu said that the case is still under investigation and added that the command is still observing all the processes necessary within the law as the matter is a criminal case.
Recall that one Mr Nnamdi Nwite was allegedly killed by stray bullet from one Mr Sunday Ununu, sometime in August at an event to celebrate the victory of community leadership of Agbaja Unuhu power of attorney.
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