Women protest detention of 4 over alleged killings

By FESTUS AHON

UGHELLI-OVER 5,000 Irri women in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, Tuesday, stormed the Oleh magistrate court, demanding the release of four of their children, being detained by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, zone 5 for their alleged involvement in the killing and lootings in Irri.

The state high court, sitting in Oleh, had ordered the Inspector General of Police and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, to release the accused persons, Mr. Clement Oyibo, Ese Okogba, Oriona Ekrebe and Ekrebe Oghenechoja, within 72 hours or be committed to prison for contempt of court.

Magistrate Obomejero Afokeya, had stood the case down after the charge was read. Counsel to the accused persons, Mr. Casley Omon-Irabor, had urged the court to release the suspects in compliance with the High Court order.

Magistrate Aforkeya, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Kwale prisons till today, when the matter would come up for hearing.

The protesting women, alleged that their children were detained by the police in order to frustrate their case against Chief Joshua Uturu and others in which the accused persons are witnesses.

One of the protesting women, Mrs okobogba, whose son was allegedly killed during the crisis, decried that one of her sons, Ese Okogba had been falsely accused of being one of those that killed his own brother and was detained by the police.

Spokeswoman of the protesters, Mrs Elizabeth Ohore, addec that their children were detained for the crime they did not commit.