The legal counsel to Chief Jerry Nkeweshe, the Owelle of Onicha-Olona, has demanded that the Delta State Police Command retract a statement linking his client to the killing of three youths in Okwe, near Asaba.
Barrister Kelechi Nnadi, Head of S. Kelechi Nnadi & Co., made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday in response to the police announcement calling for his client’s arrest over the allegations.
The Delta State Police Command had earlier declared a manhunt for Nkeweshe and others alleged to have led an armed group that attacked the community on November 24, resulting in the death of the three youths.
The command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident and said the suspects were wanted in connection with the attack.
Nnadi, however, denied the allegations, describing the police statement as false, misleading, and damaging to his client’s reputation.
According to him, Chief Nkeweshe was not in Asaba at the time of the incident. He said his client was in Umunede for medical treatment and therefore could not have led any armed group.
“My name is Kelechi Nnadi. I am a lawyer and head of S. K. Nnadi & Co. In response to the publication by the police public relations officer accusing my client, Chief Jerry Nkeweshe, of allegedly murdering about three youths in Okwe over a piece of land, I want to state that my client was not in Asaba when the incident occurred.
“Unfortunately, my client was nowhere near Asaba or Okwe throughout yesterday. He left to attend to his health in Umunede and was there in the company of certain persons whose names I am permitted to mention,” he said.
He added that Nkeweshe returned from Umunede later in the evening and proceeded straight to his office, insisting that the allegation that he led an armed group was unfounded.
“How could he have led armed men to recover a piece of land in Okwe when he is not even the owner of the said land?” Nnadi queried.
The lawyer further claimed that this was not the first time his client had been targeted, recalling a past incident in which a fictitious allegation of cyber-terrorism was levelled against him. He said that matter only died down after pressure on the Inspector-General of Police prompted a directive to the AIG to investigate.
As of the time of filing this report, the Delta State Police Command had not issued any fresh response to the lawyer’s claims.
