From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
A 70 year old man, Chief Chijioke E Onwuka has alleged that he was brutalized beyond human imagination by the police following awry land transaction between him and one Mr.Emmanuel Onuoha.
Chief Onwuka who made the statement while testifying before Abia State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, said he sold four plots of land to Onuoha, but at the point of collection of power of attorney, declined to continue with the land transaction.
He explained that he used part of the money to create access road leading to the land, hence he was unable to refund Onuoha his money in full.
The petitioner said later the buyer invited police into the matter, where he alleged that one Inspector Colman of Area Command, Aba, used hand-cuff to hit and break his forehead.
He equally alleged that Inspector Colman used police baton to shatter and dismembered his legs torn his shirts and eventually extorted #50,000 in the name of bail, after languishing in the Police cell for 4 days.
However, the Police counsel, DSP F.C.Okafor said the petitioner was not a witness of truth.
Okafor maintained that the petitioner was arrested by the police on account of defrauding a Senegalese businessman who he sold the four plots of land he never accessed nor have his funds refunded to him.
The police informed the Panel that in the course of his arrest and detention, the petitioner attempted to use his teeth to chop-off one of the fingers of Inspector Colman.
The matter was adjourned till February 3, for further cross-examination.
