Old Man Butchered to Death Over Land in Anambra State

It may take a long while before the lingering crisis between the Umumerenze Umuezebikogu Umuagu clans and their Umuduruekwe counterparts in Anambra State could get any headway. This is hinged more on the alleged murder of one of the principal actors in the dispute, a Francis Ohanebo. For 30 years now, the above families have been engaged in a feud over the ownership of a land in the area but the feud got to a head on Friday, February, 10, 2012.

On that fateful day, the late Ohanebo, 69, was resting in his compound around 8:00 pm, when no fewer than 10 men jumped in, wielding various dangerous weapons. Ohanebo, though reportedly waved their threats aside insisting that his lineage owned the disputed portion of land, his attackers however, were not ready to exchange hot words with him.

They already had their briefs. While the old man was trying to raise the alarm, the assailants reportedly swooped on him and inflicted series of cuts on his fragile body.Ohanebo was thus murdered in his compound in the full glare of some of his hapless relatives.

His assailants ensured that he drew his last breath before they let him be.
Apparently not done with him they were said to have beheaded him and cut his body into parts. The severed parts were reportedly dumped into a nearby bush. No sooner had these assailants left Ohanedo’s compound than his son, Moses, alerted the police.

The law enforcement agents then launched a manhunt for the killers. Eventually, seven people connected with the gruesome crime were apprehended while others are still at large.

Those accused of Ohanedo’s murder are Aloysius Osadebe, John Nnaekezie (a.k.a. Okadibia), Ogenabia Ohanebo, Chijioke Mbanusi, Cornelius Obinozie, Emeka Onwukeme and Comrade Ikenna. The matter was immediately charged to court at the Ihiala Chief Magistrate Court in Anambra State, and the seven accused are detained.

In his complaint to the police, Moses Ohanebo claimed that the accused persons and their sponsors, still at large, had conspired to murder his father because of a lingering land dispute. He argued that a continued hearing into the land dispute was to come up on February 14, 2012, but the accused persons, suspecting that the case might not end in their favour, decided to murder his father to silence them as the rightful owners and fraudulently claim ownership.

Chief Magistrate Nwaba, ordered the police to transfer the case file to the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on or before March 26, 2012, being the next adjournment date.

A family member of the late Ohanedo who spoke with reporters at the court, but who pled anonymity for fear of reprisal attacks, maintained that the assault and eventual death of their breadwinner, was the handiwork of the opposing clans with which the late Ohanedo had dispute over the said land.

His words, “It is very clear who are behind this gruesome murder of our father and brother. They thought that by so doing, they would have a head way, but the fight over the disputed land is a forgone issue. It does not belong to them but to us,” the middle aged man said.

At the last hearing of the case, the prosecutor urged the court to remand the seven men in prison custody because the offence is not bail able and besides, granting them bail could jeopardize further investigations in the matter.
This position, the lawyers to the accused objected.

Their lawyers, Ikenna Odigbo, Maduka Ewuzie, Francis Effiong and J. N. Obi prayed the court to grant them bail on the ground that the accused persons could be produced at any given time they are required to appear in court. The judge however decided that the accused be remanded in prison custody against the prayers of the accused’ lawyers. They were to be produced in court at the resumed hearing of the case.source national mirror