Father of murdered son seeks justice, police protection

An architect, Mr. Imowo Sampson, has called for justice over the murder of his 14-year-old Senior Secondary school son, Utibeabasi Imowo, pleading that the culprit should be brought to book.

Besides, the father is asking for police protection, alleging that his life is seriously under threat from those suspected to be directly or indirectly connected to the killing of his son.

It would be recalled that little Imowo, SS 1 student of Rayfield Secondary School, Uyo, was killed on April 5, 2016 at Pinnacle Hotel, Edet Akpan Avenue, and the body reportedly dumped in the swimming pool of the hotel.

Based on this development, seven secondary school students, including a woman from Noble International School and Monef High School all in Uyo, that were seen with late Imowo, were arrested and are now in prison custody pending prosecution.

The lifeguard of the hotel’s swimming pool, where the incident occurred is also being detained and awaiting trial.

According to sources, when the incident occurred, initial diagnoses had indicated that the deceased was drowned in the swimming pool but further autopsy on the body proved it to be a murder case, as there was no water seen in the boy’s vital organs.

Security at the hotel, sources said had observed when the body of the deceased was brought out from the swimming pool and pressed, that there was no water coming out from his system to suspect being drowned, rather blood and fume came out from his noise and month.

Sources at the police headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia revealed that when the suspects were initially arrested, their parents had gone to a Federal Court, Uyo to obtain an order to seek a declaration that the detention was unlawful and in breach of their fundamental rights to freedom of movement.

In suit no. HU/FHR 63/2016, stamped April 12, 2016, counsel to the applicants, Iniobong Isaac Udoh, had also sought an order restraining the Commissioner of Police in the state or his agents from re-arresting and detaining the applicants or their parents on the allegation of the murder.

The applicants in the order demanded that the Managing Director of the hotel, who was the first respondent and the state Commissioner of Police should pay them and their parents/guardians the sum of N10 million for the mental and emotional injury, hardship, trauma, torture and punishment suffered by them as a result of the unlawful arrest and detention.

However, following alleged establishment that it was a murder issue, the police charged the case to a magistrate court where the magistrate declined to hear but rather referred the file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for proper reassigning.