By NewsBits
An Enugu State Magistrate Court sitting in Enugu North, on Tuesday, remanded 46-year-old Inspector Daniel Dennis and one Mr Moses Nnamani for allegedly killing Igwe Emmanuel Chidiebere Mbah, the traditional ruler of Oruku community in Nkanu East local government area of Enugu State.
The Advocate reports that the arraignment of the 46-year-old police officer and Nnamani, a 57-year-old native of Oruku, came 2 years and 8 months after the gruesome murder of the monarch, who was committed to the restoration of peace in Oruku, a hitherto peaceful community that had been devastated by endless communal feud.
Several lives and property worth millions of naira had been lost on account of the senseless conflict while the community has long been deserted by the natives. It was learnt that the Nigeria Police Force on September 14, this year, finally released the police Inspector who allegedly shot and killed the traditional ruler and one of his collaborators, who led the police team to the scene of the incident, for trial.
The younger brother of the late traditional ruler, Mr Ejike Mbah, had on Monday, September 11, 2023 petitioned the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, asking him to intervene and ensure the prosecution of the Police Inspector and his collaborators.
The traditional ruler was allegedly shot and killed on December 26, 2020, by Inspector Dennis who was attached to the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the police, while he was addressing an annual general meeting of his community. On Tuesday, the Enugu State Police Command arraigned the duo on two counts bordering on conspiracy and murder in a suit numbered CME/673c/2023
The presiding Magistrate, (Mrs) Ngozi Edeani, subsequently remanded the duo at the Enugu Maximum Correctional Custodial Centre after the charges were read to them because the court had no jurisdiction on the matter.
The two-count charge obtained by The Advocate reads: “That you Moses Nnamani ‘m’, Daniel Dennis ‘m’, others now in Correctional Centre, Enugu in Charge No. CME/100C/2022 and CME/158C/2022-C.O.P vs. Emmanuel Nwobodo and others now at large on the 26th day of December 2020 at about 1400hours at Oruku Community in Nkanu East Magisterial District holden in Enugu did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 494 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.
“That you Moses Nnamani ‘m’, Daniel Dennis ‘m’, others now in Correctional Centre, Enugu in Charge No. CME/100C/2022 and CME/158C/2022- C.O.P vs. Emmanuel Nwobodo and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did unlawfully kill the Traditional Ruler of Oruku Community, HRH Igwe Emmanuel Chidiebere Mbah ‘m’ by shooting him with a gun which led to his death and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.”
Meanwhile, the court adjourned to October 18, 2023, to get the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
