Man charged with Murder of Neighbour he took to Hospital regains Freedom after 2 Years

Chidiebere Onwumere

A man who was accused of killing his neighbour and remanded in prison since 2016, has regained freedom.

Chidiebere Onwumere, an indigene of Umuagbaghagha in Osisioma LGA of Abia state told Abia Facts Newspaper that him and some of his neighbours had helped the deceased who they found lying “helpless and very weak” to get to the hospital.

Narrating the events of the day, Omwumere said:

I came back to where I was residing at Umujiji, Isiahia Osisioma around 6pm after 2 weeks in my village where I went to harvest and process palm fruits only to see my neighbour lying helpless and very weak. I decided to assist her to the hospital with the help of other neighbours since none of her blood relations was around.

A pastor who resides within the neighbourhood took us in his car to a nearby hospital called Shiloh hospital where the doctor after examining her asked us to deposit 5000 Naira to enable him conduct a test that will determine exactly what was wrong with her. I and some other neighbours contributed the money and made the deposit. When the result came out, the doctor told us that she was on substance overdose and was knocked out by the illegal substance. He assured us that he will treat her and she will be well again.

The next morning Mr Promise, the elder brother of the deceased, arrived the hospital and insisted on taking her to another hospital against the doctor’s advice. He took her to an unknown location.

After a few days Promise came back to our compound and took me to World Bank police station, Aba where he handed me over to the police claiming that I beat his sister to death.

Despite pleas by neighbours and other relations of the deceased that my hands are clean and that there was a doctors report stating that their sister died of substance abuse, Promise insisted and filed a murder charge against me. I was arraigned on suit no. U/520c/2016 and remanded in prison custody since June 2016 till date.

A lawyer Barrister Jerry Uzosike heard of his case and helped get him out of prison.

Photo Credit: Abia Facts Newspapers