The Nigeria Police on Monday arraigned and dismissed Police Inspector Joseph Ozonwanji before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Enugu on charges of murder.
Ozonwanji, formerly with the Anti-Cultism Police Squad, is accused of fatally shooting Igbo ogene musician Okezie Mba, popularly known as Igbo-Jah, over the weekend.
Ozonwanji’s arraignment followed an orderly room trial and subsequent dismissal, authorised by the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 13, AIG Godwin Aghaulor.
The prosecution was led by Enugu State Police Command representatives, SP Justice Attah and Emmanuel Ajogwu.
The charge, marked CME/614/2024, reads, “That you, Ozonwanji Joseph ‘m’, on 25th day of October 2024 at about 2010hrs at Anti-Cultism Police Squad, Goshen Estate Enugu, in the Enugu North Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Okezie Chikezie Nwamba ‘m’ by firing him with an AK47 rifle, which caused 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, 2024.”
Chief Administrative Magistrate Ngozi Edeani of Enugu East Magistrate Court 1 ordered the transfer of the case file to the State Attorney-General and remanded Ozonwanji at the Enugu Correctional Centre.
Following the arraignment, Enugu State Command Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, affirmed that the proceedings reflect the Enugu State Government and police’s commitment to justice.
“It is important to inform our people that the Chief Magistrate has listened to the charge brought against the dismissed police officer and has asked that the case file be transmitted to the Attorney-General of Enugu State to proceed from there and advise accordingly for the next line of action,” he stated.
“This is one trial we want to see happen. We are talking about a human life. Policemen generally have that responsibility to protect lives, but if, for whatsoever reason, any police officer misuses his firearm, the liability is on the person.
“That’s exactly what has happened today,” Ndukwe added. “You could see the Enugu State Government and the police command in the state have done everything possible to ensure that justice prevails in this case.”
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