By Amaechi Okwara Asaba
Delta state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, yesterday announced the dismissal of three police offi cers in the rank of sergeant for allegedly robbing petroleum tankers on the BeninAgbor expressway. Th e sacked police offi cers are Sgt. Christopher Onyegho (ExF/No.375631), Sgt. Nwakem Ebonzim (Ex-F/No.413318) and Sgt. Michael Chima (Ex-F/ No.441254). Th ey were dismissed after passing through departmental disciplinary measures where they were found guilty of robbery.
Th e commissioner, who paraded the former offi cers, and other suspects arrested for various crimes, said they were caught along with three other civilians. According to him, the dismissed offi cers would soon be arraigned in court, while their civilian accomplices were already facing trial. Ibrahim said that fi ve persons suspected to have killed the legal adviser of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oshimili North local government area of the state, late Barr. Festus Ashiedu, have been arrested. Police boss said investigation revealed that killing incident was not a case of assassination, but that of outright murder as the gang had attempted to rob a supermarket before bumping into the late Ashiedu whom they shot in order to use his car for run away.
“Barrister Festus Ashiedu was shot dead by unknown gunmen at Globe Supermarket, Okpanam. However, through prompt and discreet investigation by detectives, the killers of the lawyer have been nabbed and are undergoing investigation. “From the confession of one of the robbery suspects, Obed Ikenna Oluchi, 23, the late lawyer was killed by his group and not by hired assassins as speculated by some sections of the media,” he said.
