A father, Mr Obinna Obiekea and his son, Chidubem Obiekea, are currently detained by the Imo State Police Command for allegedly setting their 35-year-old kinsman, Chima Okafor, ablaze during the early hours of the New Year Day.
Obiekea popularly called Losky alongside his wife and sons was accused of setting Okafor ablaze over allegations of stealing jeans valued at about N25,000.
The father of the deceased, Mr Uche Okafor, while speaking with newsmen on Tuesday in Owerri, narrated his ordeal after submitting a petition to the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma.
He narrated how his son was dragged out of a church service on New Year’s Eve, at Nnebugwu Autonomous Community in Oguta Local Government Area where he was attending a crossover night and was assaulted and later set ablaze by the suspects for allegedly stealing a jeans pant valued at N25, 000 a little after midnight on New Year’s Day.
Okafor said his son was later rescued and rushed to the Congregation Of The Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ Hospital at Mgbele in Oguta where he died due to the high degree of burns he sustained from the fire at about 11 am on New Year’s Day.
The petition dated January 6 read in part, “My name is Mr Uche Okafor from Umuisoma village in Nnebugwu Autonomous Community in Oguta LGA of Imo State.
“My son, Chima Okafor, 35, was burnt to death by Obinna Obiekea (Losky) with his wife, Nwamaka Obiekea, sons, Eloka and Chidubem Obiekea, on January 1 in my hometown.
“He dragged my son from a Cherubim church where he was attending a crossover night church service, after accusing him of stealing his son’s jean knicker worth N25,000. Together with his sons, they dragged my son to their compound, used weapons, disfigured him and set him ablaze, immediately.
“My son was later rescued and rushed to the Congregation Of The Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ Hospital at Mgbele in Oguta where he died the same day owing to the high degree of burn he suffered.”
He stated that the matter had already been transferred to the state CID with Obinna Obiekea ( Losky) and Chidubem Obiekea arrested by the police while Eloka and Nwamaka are at large.
“I urge you, Sir, to use your good offices to ensure that those at large are arrested and justice dispensed in this matter.”
Okafor called on Danjuma, Governor Hope Uzodimma, and President Bola Tinubu to help him ensure that justice is served in the matter.
TheNigerian Metro gathered that the suspects were detained at the homicide section of the police command in Owerri. A police source told our correspondent that the suspects, though arrested in Oguta, were transferred to the homicide section of the State CID in Owerri, as it was a case of murder.
According to him, “An autopsy will be conducted by a pathologist on the deceased with a witness from the suspects present and a report will be compiled before going to court. Without these things, you can’t establish a murder case in court”.
Meanwhile, the state police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, confirmed to TheNigerian Metro that the two suspects were being held by the police in Owerri adding that the CP had ordered a thorough investigation into the crime.
