The family of late Mr. Nnamdi Nwite of Agbaja Unuhu Community in Abakaliki local government area of Ebonyi State has demanded the immediate release of the body of their son for burial.
Nwite was allegedly hit by a stray bullet shot by a popular legal practitioner in the state.
The family, through its counsel, Barr. Obinna Nwankwo said it is neither interested in engaging in any form of litigation over the death of their son or any planned autopsy on his body.
Nwankwo maintained that the family through his chamber wrote to the Commissioner of Police on the 29th of August, 2024 demanding the release of the corpse and expressed the regret that the police till date is yet to take action on the request.
“The family I’m representing is of Mr Nnamdi Nwite who was injured sometime in August by some unknown persons while he was attending a function and was taken to the hospital but unfortunately, he died.
“The family after their meeting with their kindred as well as the community at large, resolved that they do not want to prosecute the cause of the death of their son and in doing that, an affidavit was deposed to that very effect by the biological brother of the decease, Mr Ekene Nwite.
“The affidavit was served together with an application written on behalf of the family by the kindred as well as the community to the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State Command, that was on the 29th day of August, 2024.
“But, notwithstanding the said application and request for the release of the body of late, Mr Nnamdi Nwite, the police did not in any way report to the family or made their decision known to the family consequent upon the family briefed me as a lawyer.
“I wrote a reminder to the Commissioner of Police, after my reminder, we were surprised that on 6th of September, 2024, somebody is being arraigned by the Police over alleged murder of the deceased.
“One Barrister Sunday. U Nnunu is being arraigned by the police over a murder case. It is clear that the family I am representing never made any complain against anybody and as to the circumstances that surrounded the death of late Mr Nnamdi Nwite, the family made their position known to the Commissioner of Police.”
He expressed the regret that the police has refused to grant the family the permission to have their deceased brother buried.
It would be recalled that the police had made three failed attempts to arraign Barr. Ununu at the Court.