By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA—THE Police high command, yesterday, hinted that it had concluded investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Joy Odama,a 200 level student of the Cross River State University, allegedly in the hands of one Alhaji Usman Adamu.

The Police which said the investigation was thorough in line with best standard, assured that it would not be swept under the carpet.

The Police assurance came against the backdrop of allegation by the deceased family that it was intimidating star witnesses in the case to effect changes in their earlier written statements.

Speaking in Abuja, following an alarm raised by the family weekend, Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, disagreed with the family.

The family had in a statement, accused the police of threatening the principal witnesses in the alleged murder case to change statements earlier written upon report of the case to the security agency in December, when the student died.

Late Joy Odama

But speaking on the accusation, Mr Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, said: “There is nothing like that. We didn’t threaten anybody and it is not good trying to cast aspersions on investigation. The investigation is thorough and the police will not sweep anything under the carpet. We are doing just investigation. You know the real autopsy report is out now and we are going to seek legal advice from the DPP and prosecute those who are culpable. Anybody involved in the matter, the police is not the judge, the court will determine and they shouldn’t before taking the matter to court begin to cast aspersions on police investigation. We are not threatening anybody.

“Honestly, investigation is thorough and another round of autopsy have been concluded and the report have been submitted to the DPP. Anything that has to do with life is a thorough investigation we are carrying out and anybody found culpable will be definitely prosecuted.”

Family’s allegation

The late student’s family, weekend, accused the police of making attempts to have star witnesses in the alleged murder case have their earlier written statements changed.

A statement on their behalf by Augustine Okechukwu, President, Basic Rights Enlightenment Foundation , BREF, said:”The police in her characteristic manner has covertly deployed another twist to pervert the cause of justice and a coercive deception in the mysterious death of the late Joy Odama. In a seeming bid to forestall the obvious truth surrounding this gruesome murder, the police high command has threatened the star witnesses, Martha Hassan and father, Victoria Ezekiel and father, plus Elizabeth, with arrest and subsequent detention if they fail to appear at Force Headquarters, Abuja, to give a fresh statement.

“When the threats from the Investigation Police Officer (IPO), Force Monitoring Unit, became unbearable and unwholesome, Victoria and her father, Mr. Ezekiel, had to succumb to the pressure and reported at Force Headquarters where Victoria was detained for over eight hours because she refused to either alter her statement or write a fresh one. The police kept threatening her until she was made to sign a doctored statement from the police before bail was granted late in the night on Wednesday 21st June, 2017. It is noteworthy here that Victoria and her father were not even allowed to go through the statement before appending her signature

“The Nigeria Police having failed in their futile attempts at the National Hospital to alter the re-conducted autopsy result is again engaging in all manner of clandestine tactics and outright manoeuvring to divert attention to kill the truth in this case.

“We are calling on the Federal Government, Cross River State Government, National Assembly, Nigerian Bar Association, Federation of International Women Lawyers, Nigerian Union of Journalists, Civil Societies, human rights activists, religious bodies, clergies, public spirited individuals and the world at large to monitor the exercise.”