A Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Rivers State (names withheld) has been arrested on the orders of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zaki Mohammed Ahmed, in connection with the escape of a suspected ritualist and rapist, Ifeanyichukwu Maxwell Dike, from police detention.
Dike, a 200 level student of University of Port Harcourt was arrested by Okporo Police Station in Port Harcourt while he trying to dispose the dismembered body of his eight year-old female relative, Chikamso Victory, who he rape and later killed for ritual purposes
Also, a Police Inspector (names withheld) who led to the team of policemen that brought to suspect to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Port Harcourt, where he was handed over to the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), former Sergeant JohnBosco Okoroeze
Okoroeze, who has already been dismissed from the Police, was last Friday arraigned and remanded in prison custody by a Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly aiding the escape of Dike.
Eyes Of Lagos source at the SCID headquarters in Port Harcourt told newsmen that the DPO and Inspector were arrested following revelations that they were in the know of what would happen before the escape of the suspect.
The source said, “The father of the victim was uncomfortable when the police team stopped on the road for the Inspector to answer a call. It was later found out that it was the DPO who called him to expect a call from an IPO, who will be in charge of the case.
“When the Inspector’s phone was checked, there was a call from one JohnBosco, who was the IPO and by the rules of the force, a DPO cannot assign an IPO to a matter that is no longer under him. So, the DPO and Inspector were invited and arrested.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Zaki Mohammed Ahmed, has assured that he is committed to rearresting the suspected and getting every other person involved in the murder of the girl arrested.
Ahmed, who addressed newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, said Okoroeze was dismissed from the force and charged to court for accessory after the fact to murder, perverting the course of Justice and permitting the escape of a murder suspect and has been remanded in prison custody.
The Commissioner of Police said, “The event however of 19th August, 2017 in which a suspected ritualist, Ifeanyi Chukwu Maxwell Dike, a 200 Level Student of University of Port Harcourt, where one Victoria Chikamzo Mesu was killed and dismembered for alleged ritual purposes, is unfortunate and highly regretted.
“His arrest and subsequent parade before the Press on Saturday 19th August, 2017 was a clear indication to show-case the immense partnership of the Police and the public in fighting crime. Information of his alleged escape from an IPO in the course of statement taking did not only leave a sour taste in the mouth of the command, but also created a dent in my avowed fight against crime and criminality.
“I am totally committed in seeing that the suspect is re-arrested and any person involved regardless of status in aiding the escape of the suspect will be arrested and if found wanton dealt with in accordance with the law.
“Consequently, in pursuit of this resolve, one ex-Sergeant Johnbosco Okoroeze who after thorough Investigation was discovered to have carried a premeditated action and aided the escape of the suspect, even before he was taken into custody.
“The said ex-Sergeant Johnbosco Okoroeze was tried in a Police Orderly Room Trial for which evidence tendered during the Trial revealed that he unilaterally, in a premeditated action released the suspect to run before raising alarm of his escape.
“He was accordingly dismissed from the force and charged to Court for accessory after the fact to murder, perverting the course of Justice and permitting the escape of a murder suspect and has been remanded in prison custody.
“In furtherance to pieces of evidence from witnesses and the fleeing suspect himself, some meaningful arrests were made touching on their involvements in the said act of murder.”
