By Christopher Oji
The family of Kelvin Mgboji of Obeama Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State have petitioned the Inspector General of Police to bring those who murdered him to justice.
Mgboji, an ex-policeman, died few days after he was allegedly beaten to a coma by his kinsmen over a land issue.
The alleged principal suspect to the murder, Kingsley, has been arrested by the Imo State Police Command, Owerri, while others Ejihusu, Chijioke, Chinonso, Odiche, Osondu, Akaraka and Chibuez have been on the run.
Daily Sun gathered that before the victim died, he had petitioned the Imo State Commissioner of Police on August 2, a day after he was physically assaulted by his own kinsmen.
Mgboji, a former police sergeant, was attacked by his kinsmen when he opposed the sale of their communal farmland by the kinsmen.
He was said to have returned from his base in Ogun State and went to the venue of a meeting where his kinsmen were deliberating on the land sale deal.
The victim’s advice against the sale of the land reportedly infuriated the suspects who quickly mobbed him till he fainted.
A copy of the petition to the State Commissioner of Police which the victim wrote before he passed away, through the law chambers of Chris Onyema Kpatuma & Co, stated that on Sunday, August 1, the suspects attempted to kill late Kelvin Mgboji at obeama Agwa in Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State.
The petition obtained by our correspondent entitled “Conspiracy, Attempt to Commit Murder and Assault” also alleged that the suspects are cultists threatening to kill the victim.
‘These boys are cultists who assaulted and beat our client to unconsciousness. We are appalled by the recklessness of these cultists and their threat to kill our client.
‘We, therefore, request that the police swing into action to bring these persons to book. We have confidence that the police will rise to the occasion to save the life of our client,’ the petition partly read.
Unfortunately, the petitioner who returned to his base in Ogun State where he was undergoing treatment could not survive the attack as he slumped and died on his way back home on Saturday, August 21.
The family members of the deceased have, therefore, called on the IGP Usman Akali to prevail on the Imo State Police command to launch a manhunt to arrest the remaining suspects so that they could have respite from intermittent attacks by the audacious suspects.
The family disclosed that the suspects regrouped and vandalised the house of Mr Ugochukwu Onyewuchi, the victim’s family member whom they are now threatening to kill, accusing him of giving police tip-off that led to the arrest of the principal suspect.
The suspects who have backings of some powerful persons in the community have been boasting that they would transfer the matter to Abuja where they claimed that the matter would die a natural death.
‘We are appealing to the IGP to do justice so that the spirit of our late brother will rest in peace.’