The Judicial Commission of inquiry set up by the Enugu State government to probe the brutal murder of Enugu lawyer, Barr. Ejimofor Ozongwu, commenced sitting on Thursday, with a call on all the parties involved to stand on the side of truth.
This is also as the Enugu State Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has expressed dismay over the manner the police were investigating the murder.
Ozongwu, who until his demise, was the Executive Secretary of the Movement for the Actualization of Adada State, was reportedly killed over a disputed piece of land in his village, Okwojo Ngwo, near Enugu at about 2pm on Christmas eve last year.
Speaking with reporters in Enugu shortly after attending the inaugural sitting of the panel the State Chairman of NBA, Professor Osita Nnamani Ogbu said they were dissatisfied with the manner the police were handling the matter.
While insisting that the matter remained a murder case, he expressed regrets that most of the suspects were still working around the streets, alleging that some of them had even travelled outside the country.
He, therefore, threatened that the NBA, Enugu State Branch might institute an action for Writ of Mandamus to compel the police to carry out its duty, saying it appeared that “there are some sacred cows.”
Professor Ogbu insisted that it was only the state government that was serious on the matter, expressing happiness that the state government had vowed that justice must be done.
The brother to the late lawyer, Eric Ozongwu, who also spoke to journalists, said most of the suspected murders were on the run, adding that the commissioner of police and the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had assured that anybody that had a hand in the murder of his brother would not go scot free.
Meanwhile, the Panel, chaired by Retired Justice Obieze, which is sitting at the Enugu State High Court, is expected to investigate and ascertain immediate causes of the recent crisis in Ngwo Community, Investigate and ascertain the number of persons killed, injured or threatened with injury in connection to the crisis, to identify persons, groups or institutions who either directly by acts of omission or commission were directly or indirectly involved or sponsored the violence and killings.
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