BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
An officer of the Nigeria Police Force, attached to Ebonyi State Command, Inspector Jeremiah Isaac, has been allegedly dismissed from service by the Force over the death of two children.
It was reliably gathered that Isaac was driving his car while in a state of drunkenness before crushing two children, identified as Ifeanyi Ocheze, aged 12; and a 16-year-old girl, Agatha Imeze.
Three other children, including Esther Ukpa, aged 16; Anthony Mighty, aged 4; and Andrew Unah, aged 13,sustained varying degrees of injuries in the fatal accident that happened in front of a popular canteen, Eatery Centre Kilimanjaro, located along Old Ogoja Road, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
The teenagers were said to be members of All Saints’ Anglican Church, Ogoja Road, Abakaliki and they were on their way home from an Easter Retreat organised by the church for their spiritual upliftment when they met their sudden deaths.
According to Investigation by The Point, the two deceased victims died on the spot while the three others were injured. The trio were rushed to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, where they were admitted and treated.
Isaac, a mobile policeman who hails from Kogi State, was said to have been in a drunken state while driving his allegedly faulty Audi car with registration number, AFK 348 AA.
He allegedly ran over the teenagers last Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023, when they were trekking to their homes after their church programme.
The Point gathered that since the crash occurred, Inspector Isaac had been in police detention. He is said to have been dismissed from service over the incident.
Having completed investigation, the Police command recently dragged Isaac before an Abakaliki Magistrate’s Court and contended that he drove recklessly and without driving licence.
Isaac was arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on reckless driving and driving without driving licence,which are offences contrary to and punishable under the State Road Traffic Act, Cap 135, Laws of Ebonyi State 2009.
The defendant was also slammed with murder charge for causing the death of the two children.
Isaac’s counsel, Christopher Nwangwu, had wanted to make a bail application but the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter. Also, the defendant’s plea was not taken.
The trial Magistrate, Ojemba Oko-Isu, ordered that the dismissed officer be remanded in the custody of the Abakaliki Correctional Service.
Oko-Isu directed the prosecution to forward the accused person’s case file, evidences and other documents in the matter to the Department of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
The matter was adjourned till September 11 for report of compliance.
