A woman who had only gone to lodge a complaint at the police station, has ended up being shot by a police inspector.
The woman was shot dead
According to a report by New Telegraph, a police inspector narrowly
escaped being lynched after he shot and killed a woman who went to the
station to report that her driver stole and hid her money in Anambra
State.
The deceased, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Emeka (38), of Igbuala Ifite Dunu in
Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, suspecting that the
driver of her lorry was not making complete delivery, reported the
matter to the police.
The policeman, who went with her to effect arrest of the driver,
was said to have been searching the lorry with Ebelechukwu, when his
rifle, which was corked, exploded and a bullet hit the complainant.
The woman died on the spot. Immediately the policeman realised that
he had killed his complainant, he ran into the nearest bush. When
youths in the community found him hiding him in the bush, they stripped
and almost lynched him.
It was learnt that Ebelechukwu, along with her husband, went to
meet their driver, who allegedly refused to make full delivery of money
he worked for on that day.
The Chairman of Aborji Youth, Oba Idemili South Local Government
Area of Anambra State, Chief Uche Ezeani, where the incident occurred,
described the matter as an accident.
Ezeani explained that the policeman came with the woman and her
husband to collect delivery money from their truck driver, when the
incident occurred.
He said: “I heard that the conductor, who works with the driver
of the truck Mercedes Benz M119 reported to the couple that the driver
used to hide money in the vehicle. When the husband and wife got to
where the vehicle was parked, they entered into the lorry to search it.
The inspector, who was armed, also joined them in searching the
vehicle for any hidden money. In the process, the gun trigger was
touched and a bullet was released. The bullet hit the woman. She was
rushed to the hospital but was confirmed dead.
“I was walking pass when I saw a crowd. As a community leader,
it was my duty to find out what was happening. I saw a woman lying on
the ground. When I approached them, they told me that a policeman shot
the woman. After shooting her, the policeman ran into the nearby bush.
The youth went into the bush and after a while, found and
dragged the policeman out. After I heard what really happened, I
prevented the youth from touching him. I instructed them to take him to
the police station.”
The Chairman, Human Rights Defenders (HRDN), Mr. Dede Uzor Uzor,
commended the Oba Aborji executive members led by Nze Dozie Nweke, the
youth leader, Mazi Tony Ezeani and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO),
Ojoto Police Station for the roles they played after the incident and in
calming the restive youth.
He said: “It was a case of a recalcitrant police officer’s
inability to properly place his gun in its protective chamber, leading
to reckless shooting. If not that the policeman was quickly rescued and
given protection, the youth would have lynched him.”
Uzor appealed to the state Commissioner of Police, for discreet
investigation over the matter with the hope of bringing the killer to
justice.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Haruna
Mohammed, said the police inspector was attached to Operation Nkpochapu
patrol team and was on duty on Owerri-Oba Road, when he accidentally
pulled the trigger of his rifle, without applying safety catch.
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