One Mr. Anthony Onyeukwu, who allegedly caused death of his 11-year-old houseboy, Goodluck John, has been remanded in prison custody.
A statement on Sunday by the the Enugu State commissioner for for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, said that the 47-year-old accused was arrainged by the Enugu State Police Command last week before a Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Enugu East Magisterial District on one count charge bordering on murder.
She said this was in line with the government sustained war against all forms of child abuse.
According to the Commissioner, the accused was arrested following a tip-off from one of the Ministry’s whistle-blower channels that Master Goodluck John’s death was linked to abuse in the hands of the family where he lived with as a houseboy.
However, Mr. Onyeukwu was said to have quickly conveyed and had the remains of the 11-year old boy buried in the boy’s hometown in Abia State without reporting his death to the appropriate authorities.
Although he was said to have claimed that the boy had died from an ailment at the Park Lane Hospital, Enugu, there was no record to show that the boy was admitted in the hospital or that his corpse was deposited in the hospital’s morgue.
Arraigning the suspect last week , the Police Prosecutor- Inspr Calista Ifeanyi, told the presiding Chief Administrative Magistrate, Ngozi Edeh Anih that Mr. Onyeukwu had committed an offence punishable under the Criminal Code (Revised) Laws of Enugu State.
The charge sheet marked: CME/631C/2024 read, “That you, Onyeukwu Anthony ‘m’ on 15th day of October, 2024 at about 20:30 hours at No. 4, Mike Onyeka Close, Loma Linda Extension, Maryland, Enugu, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did unlawfully kill one Goodluck John ‘m’ aged 11 years and thereby commited an offence punishable under Section 274 (1) of the Criminal Code, CAP 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.”
The Chief Magistrate subsequently ordered the suspect’s remand in the Correctional Centre, Enugu and, adjourned the matter to 20th November, 2024 when the report from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, Enugu, is expected.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Wife of the Governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah, has warned against any form of child abuse in the state, as no such act would go unpunished.
