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By Egufe Yafugborhi

WARRI – NATHANIEL Atamaka, father to Samson Omagbemi, who died mysteriously with a friend in an Effurun hotel in Delta state has accused police of frustrating trial of suspects connected with the incident.

Police Public Relations Officer, Delta state command, CSP Andrew Aniamaka, in response to Atamako’s outcry, however debunked his claim, saying the police are closely following the case and that the trial of suspects was on course amidst some challenges.

Following confirmation of June 12 death of Nathaniel Atamako Jr, earlier identified as Samson Omagbemi, nephew of chief coach of Nigeria’s Super Falcons, Florence Omagbemi, along with his classmate, Darlington Taire in the swimming pool at Golden Tulip Hotel, Effurun, Uvwie local government area, the police had arrested the pool attendant and two students among others.

However, nearly two months after, the prosecution of suspects have been stagnated after two failed attempts at charging the suspects following allegations of watery police charges by Mr. Atamako.

Baring his frustrations to Vanguard in Warri yesterday, Mr. Atamako said, “The maternal relatives who first took up my son’s case told the press that he is Samson Omagbemi. That is not true. My late wife who gave birth to him was an Omagbemi, but my son’s true identity is Nathaniel Atamako Jr. “My son died in the most painful and mysterious manner so hard for a parent to bear. I do need justice over his death, but the bigger pain is that the police is frustrating the trial of the matter and preventing me from taking the remains of my son to bury him in peace. The tardy police trial is aggravating my grief.

“On two occasions, they attempted opening trial with watery charges at the Effurun Magistrate Court. My son and friend reportedly visited the hotel June 10, but management claimed they only discovered their bodies in the pool June 12. The hotel owner or the manager was invited at the Ebrumede police station, but on the day of arraignment, only the pool attendant was brought in.

“On one of the occasions, the charged sheet was not even signed. In fact everything about that charge is defective. It was just arraigned to let some people off the hook. Again, the police said result of autopsy for my son would be released in two weeks. Well over a month now, the police and doctors keep postponing the report on unconvincing excuses. “I want to bury my son in peace. No amount of investigation or delay in trial would bring him back. The police should at least speed up the trial and allow me bury my son in peace. The CP is said to have withdrawn the case file and when I asked I was told it was being forwarded to DPP for advice.”

The PPRO, Delta police command, CSP Aniamaka said, “It is a case of sudden and unnatural death of the two persons. It was transferred to the State CID. Apart from the pool attendant, the original complainant in the case, we are actually looking for him, in fact the owner of the hotel. We cannot understand why he, as it were, vamoosed having made his report.

“We have a very comprehensive report on it upon which charges were made to the court. There were certain persons who may have been arrested with a view to obtaining information, but by judge’s rule, were found not to have any meaningful involvement and so naturally were left to go.

Other than that, we need to hear from the main person. If this thing happened in your place, you should be available. Everything is being done to ensure that justice is done on the case.”

The Warri Airport Hotel, run under Golden Tulip franchise is owned by Delta politician and industrialist, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi.