Alleged Murder of Levi Opara Re-echoes As Family Cries Over Delayed Justice. Seeks Uzodinma, CP’s intervention

The murder of Late Engr. Levi Opara has again reignited public outcry as the family continues to demand justice amidst perceived delays in the immediate arraignment of Police Officers who were allegedly involved in the murder.

Recall that Lead Express earlier reported the gruesome murder of Late Engr. Levi Opara which allegedly took place at Tiger Base after undergoing series of tortures as allegedly directed by the wife, Mrs. Chioma Opara over a mere family misunderstanding. However, months after the incident, the family of late Engr. Levi Opara, aged 46 who hails from Ezedibia, Emekuku in Owerri- North LGA, laments the lack of progress in the arraignment and subsequent persecution of the perpetrators.

Speaking during a Press Conference held in Owerri over the weekend, the daughters of the deceased, Ihuoma and Chioma Opara in their various speeches narrated the pathetic incidents that occured during and after the arrest of their father as well as the subsequent alleged murder by police officers with the Tiger Base Command.

In their words, ” My Dad, Late Engr. Levi Opara had a mere family misunderstanding with my mother, Mrs Chioma Opara, upon which my mother involved a police informant who took the matter to Tiger Base. Subsequently, my mother in conjunction with Police informant identified as Anthony Nneji, Team Leader, Blessing and the IPO, Moses arrested my dad on Sunday, the 15th day of October, 2023. When we heard the news of my father’s arrest, we quickly rushed to the Police on the 16th October, 2023 with my Family relatives where we met my father hale and hearty without any sign of illness, but all efforts to secure his release/ bail to enable us resolve the family issue failed as we were asked to come back on Wednesday, 18th October, 2023″.

” When we came back on Wednesday, we were shocked when the IPO and team leader notified us that my father who was never sick or suffering from any form of illness the day he was arrested was dead. On further inquiries, both the IPO and team leader informed us that he was at the police Clinic but later changed and said he has already been deposited at the Federal Medical Center, Owerri.”

” On arrival at the said Federal Medical Center, we saw the lifeless body of our father, Late Levi Opara and on a closer observation, discovered that my father’s corpse had several bruises as well as knife cuts on his neck which was hurriedly stitched either before or after his death”.

” As against the wish of the Police, the family fought by writing a petition to the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) demanding the arrest of the police officers as well as conducting an autopsy with the consent and presence of our own medical personnel. The scheduled autopsy which was to be carried out on Thursday 19th October, 2023 around 10am was thwarted as the Police refused to show up on the agreed day” However, the autopsy and toxicology on the body of late Levi Opara was eventually carried out and the report produced stated clearly that he died of server tortures and hunger. The report was then sent to Assistant Inspector General of Police, Umuahia upon which the family requested for the release of the mortuary tally to enable them bury the deceased which was granted after much considerations and Late Levi Opara was buried on 15th, December, 2023″.

She further stated that the Inspector General of Police approved their petition and ordered the immediate arrest of all those involved in the murder as the matter was ultimately transferred to zone 9 Umuahia.

” After the burial, the family requested that the file be transferred to the office of the Director of Public Persecution, DPP , Owerri, Imo state for immediate arraignment of all those involved in his death.The DPP made recommendations after a comprehensive evaluation of the police file sent to the Ministry of Justice by the Assistant Inspector of Police and recommended for the arraignment of all those involved in the murder of late Levi Opara. But until now, they are still delaying the arraignment of the Police officers and those involved in the said murder, giving room for interference which is delaying the arrangements of those involved in the murder.
Currently, my family and the community are in total disarray and shocked at the wicked and gruesome manner in which my father was killed. And since the perpetrators have been identified, arrested, autopsy and toxicology conducted with the report submitted to all parties involved which signified the conclusion of investigation, I’m wondering why the Police have continued to delay the immediate arraignment of those involved”, she noted.

She however appealed to the justice-oriented Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Hope Uzodinma and the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma to use their positions to hasten the charge and Persecution of the perpetrators to avert the incessant manhandling of the poor masses by alleged security agencies as we might never tell whose family will be the next victim.
Every effort made to get the side of the Imo Police PPRO to get the police side of the story proved abortive as his phone was switched off at the time of filing this report.