Court Orders Autopsy Investigation Of Man Allegedly Killed By Soldiers In Imo

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Saturday, December 4th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo state, South East Nigeria, has ordered an autopsy to be carried out on the corpse of Noel Chigbu, allegedly killed by Soldiers early this year.

The deceased, an Owerri based businessman was allegedly shot dead on April 30, in Owerri, by suspected soldiers for violating a traffic rule.

His eldest brother and spokesperson for the family, Tobechi Chigbu, had told newsmen that some soldiers had shot dead his brother on the day he took delivery of his new Toyota Camry car and was driving home at the close of work.

He said that the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations in the state was the one, who told the family that the soldiers said that they shot his brother dead because he violated their checkpoint rule.

“Noel was one of my young brothers. He would have been 39 on May 18, but unfortunately, he was shot dead on the day he took delivery of his new vehicle.

“His corpse was dumped at the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri by the soldiers, who killed him.

However, the presiding judge on the matter, Justice Maureen Onyetenu, had on Friday ordered that a coroner’s inquest be carried out on the corpse which had been laying at the morgue of Federal Medical Centre in Owerri since seven months now.

The jurist also ordered that all the parties in the suit or their representatives must be present while the autopsy is being carried out on the corpse.

The judge’s order followed a request made by the counsel to the applicant, G. O Anyalewechi, that the court gives an order for the coroner’s inquest to be conducted on the corpse to enable the family bury their son while the matter goes on in court.

Counsel to the Chief Of Army Staff and the 34 artillery brigade command, Obinze, Owerri, L.B Berepiki, who did not oppose the application, urged the judge for an extension of time to enable the defendants file their counter affidavit.

The family spokesperson, who informed newsmen that his younger brother’s wife was delivered of a baby girl last week, said that he was relieved that when he had that his brother’s remains would be laid to rest after the autopsy.