Alleged murder: Ebonyi lawmaker, Ununu begs Gov. Nwifuru to intervene over imprisonment of brother 

By Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki

The deputy leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Mr. Joseph Ununu and member representing Abakaliki South constituency on Friday begged governor Francis Nwifuru to intervene over the arrest and reminding in correctional centre of his younger brother, S.U Ununu who is a lawyer.

The Nations News Nigeria reports that the embattled lawyer, S.U Ununu was partially arraigned in a magistrate court sitting in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State over alleged murder of one, late Nnamdi Nwite during a celebration that took place at Agbaja Unupfu in Abakaliki local government area.

The Lawmaker, Ununu who spoke to newsmen in Abakaliki shortly after the attempted arraignment in court, said: “I visited the family of the deceased person day before yesterday and they told me vividly that they don’t have any case with my younger brother, S.U Nnunu, whom police arrested for killing their brother that he was not the person that killed their son, that their son was actually murdered but they don’t know who killed him.

“That as family, they have resolved that they don’t need a case and that they have wrote to the Commissioner of Police that the case should be discontinued so that they can carry their son and give him proper burial, and that they are asking police to stay clear and allow them to carry their son and bury him.

“Nobody is above the law, but shouldn’t condemn somebody who God has not condemned and we are appealing to the state governor to listen to this matter and throw his weight to ensure that peace reigns in the area” he stated.

In a swift reaction, the counsel to the deceased family,, Obinna Nwankwo who spoke to newsmen in Abakaliki said: “the family I’m representing is of Mr Nnamdi Nwite who was injured sometimes August by some unknown persons, while he was attending a function and was taken to the hospital, subsequently, he died.

“The family after their meeting with their kindred as well the community at large, resolved that they do not want to prosecute the cause of the death of their son and in doing that, an affidavit was deposed to that very fact by the biological brother of the decease, Mr Ekene Nwite.

“That affidavit was served together with an application written on the behalf of the family by the kindred as well,the community to the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi state command, that was on the 29th day of August, 2024.

“But, notwithstanding the said application and request for the release of body of late, Mr Nnamdi Nwite the police did not in any way report to the family or made their decision known to the family consequent upon the family briefed me as a lawyer, I wrote a reminder to the Commissioner of Police, after my reminder, we were surprise that today being 6th of September, 2024 that somebody is being arraigned, by name, one, S.U Nnunu over a murder case. 

“It is clear that the family I am representing never made any complaint against anybody, and as to the circumstances that surrounded the death of late Mr Nnamdi Nwite, the family made their position known to the Commissioner of Police, that they don’t know who injured the deceased. No petition written formally to the CP by the family, and up till now, the police has refused to grant the family the permission to have their deceased brother buried.

“And,we have also made it clear to the police that by virtue of the tradition, belief and religion of my client, they do not believe in autopsy. We are still saying that nothing should be done to that body. We are not interested in litigation,we are not interested in investigation, however. 

“Our humble application is that let the whole world hear that, let them release the body of our brother, late Nnamdi Nwite for burial, as we speak, the siblings as well as the wife, and family are being traumatized over this issue.

“They said that our brother had died, and nothing can bring him back to life and therefore,we are not interested in any other thing, allow us to accord him the last respect he deserved and they are doing this without any inducement or coercion from any quarter” he stated.

Also, the elder brother to the deceased, Mr Ekene Nwite who described the incident as shocking, appealed to the police and the government to release the deceased body as they’re not interested in litigation.

“The death of my younger brother was painful, but I will not make case with his death knowing that I am the elder brother, I am calling on the government to release that my brother who I was the one that trained him in primary school before going to learn welder, after graduation,the profession was not favourable to him and he went and learn carpentry with no help from government or individual and wouldn’t like anybody to bring problem between my family and anybody for any reason whatsoever.

“If anybody is interested in his burial should come to the family and talk to us, not keeping our late brother when we are not interested in litigation and making a case with his dead body” he stated.

When contacted, Ebonyi state Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu said that the case is still under investigation and added that the command is still observing all the processes necessary within the law as the matter is a criminal case.