Anambra Council Boss Wife’s Murder: Govt Withdraws State Pathologists From Autopsy Team, To Launch Corona Inquest

Awka

Anambra State Government has dissociated itself from any news in circulation or purported preliminary report of autopsy conducted on late Chidiebere Iloka, the wife of the suspended Transition Committee Chairman of Nnewi North Council Chairman, Mbazulike Iloka.

This was contained in an official letter jointly signed by the Commissioner of Justice/Attorney-General, Prof Sylvia Chika Ifejeme, the Commissioner for Health Dr Adam Obidike and the Commissioner for Women Affairs Mrs Ify Obinabo on behalf of the State Government.

Last week, rumours had circulated, of the release of the autopsy result that showed that the deceased did not die of domestic violence.

The rumour was corroborated by a statement by the brother to the deceased in which he withdrew a petition he had earlier filed against the suspended LGA chairman, on the account that pathologists that conducted the autopsy confided in him that his sister was not killed.

But the letter from government dated 30th August, 2022, made available to TNC correspondent on Wednesday, expressed surprise how on the 17th of August, barely 24 hours after the autopsy process began, an elder brother to the deceased who had filed a petition against the suspended Council boss, would rush to claim that the autopsy result showed that her sister was not killed and withdrew his petition.

The letter was copied to the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police Anambra state and the Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria.

The government stated that the preliminary autopsy report from the two pathologists on the side of the family of the deceased is unacceptable as according to it, the six pathologists charged with such responsibility are expected to make public the report.

The letter read: “We coordinated the autopsy examination, and appointed two experienced consultant pathologists out of the six that participated in the examination and wish to state categorically that no conclusive autopsy report has been issued by the team of Pathologists.

“The elder brother of the deceased Mr. Uchenna Ezenwoye through his lawyer. D.O. Ezeonwuka, Esq and on the 12th August 2022 submitted a strongly worded petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police Anambra State, entitled:

“Homicide and gruesome murder of Mrs. Chidiebere Iloka (nee Ezenwoye by Mbazulike Iloka: A call for your intervention and justice.”

“In the petition, Mr. Uchenna Ezenwoye averred, among others that Mr. Iloka as a person known for his several and continuous beating of his wile, late (Mrs) Chidiebere Iloka to the extent that family members have times without number warned him to stop his acts of beating his wife, but to no avail;  that he (Uchenna Ezenwoye) on several occasions advised Mbazulike Iloka not to beat his wife for whatever reason but he refused to take the wise advice, rather he boasted that nobody will come to his house and tell him how to handle his wife and that he can do and undo and nothing will happen, among others.”

The letter said that “as a government with zero tolerance for domestic violence (let alone one that allegedly led to death) as well as the fact that the accused, Mr. Mbazulike Iloka, was an appointee of the government, the government decided to take every necessary step to ensure justice for both the dead and Mr. Iloka.

“That was also part of the reasons government decided to coordinate the autopsy process and invited the families of the deceased and the accused to nominate representative pathologists and each nominated two.

“The government appointed two, making a team of six. At the meeting before the autopsy on 16th August, 2022, it was agreed that the tests/result would be processed/ready within 2-6 weeks.

“Even as at today, 30th August, the result of toxicology is still being awaited”

“Surprisingly,” the statement continued, “on 17th August (barely 24 hours after the autopsy process began and samples were taken for laboratory tests, including toxicology tests), the same elder brother rushed to swear an affidavit claiming that an autopsy had already been conducted on his sister on 16/8/2022 by a team of pathologists which showed that the deceased was not killed.”

The government also said it has testimonies regarding pressures and threats on family members and other leading to the twists and turns, saying it is now within the powers of the state to initiate the process of Corona inquiry.

The government further announced the withdrawal of two pathologists it appointed into the team of six pathologists that are running the autopsy and dissociated itself from the circulating autopsy result.

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