Court Hears Allegations Of Statement ‘Doctoring’ In Ogwashi-Uku Case
PW2 Alleges Police Altered His Statement in Ogwashi-Uku 5 Trial
Witness Says IPO Omitted Key Facts, Defence Seeks Total Rejection of Evidence
DRAMA unfolded on Tuesday at the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba during the trial of five prominent indigenes of Ogwashi-Uku, as the second prosecution witness (PW2), Mr. Lawrence Obasi, openly accused the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) of “doctoring” his statement by omitting material facts.
The defendants are standing trial on charges bordering on terrorism, attempted murder and malicious damage.
Witness Disowns Police Statement
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, PW2, a 30-year-old vigilante member, told the court that most of the information he gave to the police was excluded from his statement dated 12 October 2023.
He admitted that the statement did not mention any of the defendants and blamed the IPO for failing to include what he described as “crucial facts.”
PW2 further disclosed that he could neither read nor write and that the statement was written by the IPO without the assistance of an interpreter to explain its contents to him.
Defence Alleges Afterthought, Contradictions
Lead defence counsel, Chief Efe Akpofure, SAN, argued that PW2’s oral testimony, in which he mentioned the defendants for the first time, was an afterthought and riddled with falsehoods. He urged the court to discountenance the witness’s evidence in its entirety.
Counsel to the 4th defendant, Chioma Ukwuanyi Esq., also highlighted inconsistencies between PW2’s oral evidence and his written statement, particularly regarding the alleged presence of the 4th defendant with firearms — a claim absent from the 12 October 2023 statement.
Conflicting Accounts of Assignment
The defence further challenged PW2’s account of how he came to Ogwashi-Uku on the day of the incident. While PW2 testified that he was deployed by the Otulu vigilante commander, the defence pointed out that his earlier statement indicated he was invited by the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku for the same assignment.
Account of Alleged Shooting Incident
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Samuel Mallum Esq., PW2 said he was an indigene of Afikpo in Ebonyi State and a vigilante member resident in Otulu, Ogwashi.
He claimed that on 12 October 2023, he was sent to the Ogwashi-Uku Police Division and later deployed to the palace at Ogbenta with police officers. According to him, a procession attempted to force its way into the palace, leading to a heated argument and alleged gunshots.
PW2 said he ran into a Sienna vehicle for safety, sustained injuries after the windscreen was shattered, fainted and was taken to the General Hospital.
Hospital Timeline Disputed
The defence disputed this account, noting that PW2’s statement showed he first went to the police station before being taken to the hospital.
Two written statements dated 12 October 2023 and 29 January 2024 were tendered and admitted as exhibits by the presiding judge, Justice Olufunmilola Agbaje.
Chief Akpofure described the witness’s testimony as misleading and urged the court to reject it entirely.
