Ex-Anambra AG Invokes Coroners Law to Investigate Death of Man Killed by Mob

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

 A former Attorney General of Anambra State, Chief Nnoruka Udechukwu (SAN), has called for a coroner’s inquest to ascertain the cause of the death of a man, Toochukwu Onyemelukwe, who was allegedly killed by a mob in the state.

Udechukwu, who addressed journalists in his chambers in Awka, the state capital, said the deceased, Onyemelukwe, was on November 30, 2021, killed violently by a mob over accusation of stealing.

The incident happened at Enugwu village, Nanka community of Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

 He said: “The violent event was duly reported to the police but no report emerged from the police to account for the circumstances under which late Tochukwu Onyemelukwe met his violent end.

“No person or persons have since the event been held to account for the sudden and violent death. No medical certificate of the cause of death was obtained by the police despite the fact that the death was under unnatural circumstances.

“The body was surreptitiously and unceremoniously buried without due process.”

 Udechukwu said it was wrong, and that he has already invoked the coroner’s inquest law of Anambra State, insisting that the death warrants a proceeding under Sections 3, 4 and 8 of the 1991 Anambra State law.

He said even though the state had the coroner’s inquest law, it has never been tested, and had joined laws known to be recondite, but insisted that it must be used to investigate what happened to Onyemelukwe, and also bring those responsible to book.

 “An application has been made to the Magistrate Court to hold a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause and circumstances of the death of Onyemelukwe,” he said.

Also, the Chairman of the deceased village, Mr. Martin Okeke, who spoke to journalists, lamented that some rich individuals in the village were trying to suppress the cause of the death, which he described as targeted killing.

 He said those who forcefully removed the deceased body from the morgue and buried him were working to ensure that their sins were covered up, and the death swept under the carpet.