Just In : Civil society group write Imo Commissioner for Police Over alleged Harmful Widowhood Practices Perpetuated on Mrs Rosemiriam Onyeama, Children by her late Husband Family.
A report has it that on Wednesday 13th July, 2022 Sisters with a Goal Initiative SWAG received a Citizens mandate report of an attempt on a widow Mrs. Rosemirian Amaka Onyeama of Amienyi Umuaka and her Children’s life, on 14/06/22 by an alleged men of the Ebubeagu security outfit, who where invited by Christiana Chizoba Biambo alias “Odiche”, a sister to the deceased husband of the Widow, Late Engr. (Chief) Charles Chidubem Onyeama who died in a road crash in May 2007.
According to the report, Ebubeagu men were commissioned to stop the widow and her son from, building a new Obi on their land, in preparation of her son assuming his traditional “OKPARA” stool of his people, which is hereditary.
Upon arrival, the Ebubeagu men, commenced vandalization of the Widows home, when they didn’t find her or her Children, thereby resorting to willful destruction of property. They were joined by Christiana Chizoba Biambo (Odiche) they searched and ransacked the house and went away with valuable documents, cash and android phone.
The report continued, As the widow , perceiving danger, before their arrival, took to flight , calling her children on phone to do same ,as being outside the house on errand she observed a truck and sienna car filled with darkly clad men drive towards her home.
The Community people upon observing the destruction to Mrs RoseMirian Onyeama’s home, took to the streets in a peaceful rally first to the Eze’s Palace and to Umuaka Police Division demanding that the Widow and her children be produced safely and those who seek to harm them and vandalized their home be apprehended and prosecuted.
Thereafter both the women and men of the Community formally reported the matter with the Umuaka police division.
Findings reveal that this particular incident of attack on 14/06/2022, with purposeful criminal intent is the zenith in an endemic history of deprivation and abuse of rights of Mrs. Rosemarian Onyeama and her Children since the death of her husband over 15years by her sisters and brothers in-laws, listed in no order of preference
Mrs. Eberenihu Benedette Onyeama nee Ojinnaka, mother-in-law,
Mrs. Susan Ike nee Onyeama, sister-in-law,
Mr. Dennis Onyeama, brother-in-law,
Mr. Christian Onyeama, brother-in-law,
Mrs. Christiana Chizoba Biambo nee Onyeama AKA Odiche sister-in-law,
Mr. Paul Ojinnaka (younger brother of my mother in-law),
Mr. Lawrence Duru( youngest brother of my father-in-law),
From ongoing attempts to evict her and her children from their residence in Port Harcourt, to seisure of her and her husband’s property in Umuguma, world bank Owerri ,to seisure of her hilux truck, left to vagaries of Nature, to the demolition and taking over of their property in Umuaka, farming and harvesting of all her economic trees and farm lands, to denying them access to their homestead, in almost 15years,All of which constitute a crime as well as a flagrant infringement of their fundamental human rights as well as Contravene the legal framework of the VAPP and constitute harmful widowhood practices as encapsulated in part 11,section 17, of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law No 8 of 2021.And also section 14 and 15 of the same law.
In the letter the leader of group,Marjorie Ngozi Ezihe , Said “Commissioner Sir, Separate interviews with the District police officer in the Umuaka Division Support information gleaned from Traditional gatekeepers of the community as true account of incidents and validated by the division’s investigation, arrest and documentation of suspects hence SWAG is Convinced of a seamless transmission of the matter to court, we were but dismayed by the Suspect Christiana Chizoba Biambo (Odiche) Petition to the Imo state police command headquarters Owerri, on Friday, the 5th August 2022,where the widow had to post bail of #20,000 (twenty Thousand Naira).
She continued, Commissioner sir, our consternation at the audacity of the suspect in frustrating investigation after showcasing disinclination to honor police invitations on three occasions, only to use the same Police to perpetuate her devious schemes to stall proceedings is most undesirable and not permissible in Law. Especially in the light of Mrs RoseMirian Onyeama traveling from Port Harcourt to Umuaka on every such invitations, comparatively to the Suspect who is resident in the same Umuaka Community.
Again the prosecution of a search warrant by the “new” investigating unit from the state police command headquarters, a clear two months and three days after the incident is most unprofessional in our estimation and beggars questions on pertinent procedural practices in such matters, which we will appreciate clarity on ,as we beseech you activate statutory policing regulatory standards to stop further dehumanization and traumatization of the widow, Mrs, RoseMirian Onyeama and her children pending resolution of these matters in a court of competent jurisdiction.
The fact of an entire Community clamour for justice, speaks to the injustices and we will resist any intent to beguile the police by frustrating investigation. As this seeks to undermine the severe nature of these crimes and inadvertently enables perpetrators and their funders in America. To continue the abuse of the widows rights.
Commissioner sir, giving the foregoing we request that:
That the investigating Police Unit considers this matter holistically in an inclusive justiceable manner and expediently dispatch matter to court.That the matter be charged under the relevant sections of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law No. 8 of December 2021 as the most updated legal framework.That all persons mentioned in this petition breaking the law by perpetuating harmful widowhood practices, be investigated and brought to Justice. As we will be communicating further international protocol and policy statement in respect of this case and procuring justice for the venerable.
We employ you use your esteem office sir, to stop further dehumanization and traumatization of Mrs. Onyeama and Children, pending the conclusion of these matters in a court of competent jurisdiction.” She concluded.
