Since then, the Commercial city of Onitsha and the entire Anambra State have been thrown into shock. Many wondered aloud at how far men could go in pursuit of material things.
It was not clear how the items were discovered, but the Onitsha Area Commander, Mr. Benjamin Wordu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ACP), explained that the police, acting an on tip-off, stormed the Upper Class hotel and forced the place open to conduct a search and recovered the items.
However, another source said an oozing stench from one of the hotel rooms, which was later found out to be the proprietor’s office, attracted the workers, who went in search of the source of the stench.
The workers were said to have forced the room open, searched and found a black polythene bag, which on closer examination, contained decomposing human skulls.
The visibly terrified hotel workers were said to have raised alarm, which attracted people around. Passersby and people immediately went on rampage, destroying the place, chairs and other items in the hotel to demonstrate their anger.
They had wanted to set the hotel ablaze but for the police which prevented them from carrying out their intention.
However, another source said that the combined team of police came from the Inspector-General of Police (IG)’s office and the Anambra State Police Command.
They were said to be acting on petition they received. They arrested seven persons, including the proprietor of the hotel, Chief Bonaventure Mokwe.
Governor Peter Obi, the following day, led a team of security operatives and officials of Anambra State Government to demolish the hotel, an action that had elicited criticisms from lawyers, human rights activities, among others.
But Mokwe’s wife, who is said to be a Lawyer, has raised the alarm over the safety of her husband, calling on President Jonathan to intervene to save her husband from extra-judicial murder.
“My husband was arrested and detained at the Central Police Station (CPC), Onitsha, when the commissioner of Police was petitioned; he was moved to Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Awkuzu. My husband is being detained in a very dehumanizing condition at SARS Awkuzu and the police have denied him access to his Lawyers and relation,” said Nkiru, Mokwe’s wife.
She said that the Upper class Hotel, located at No. 8 Old Market Road, Onitsha, which was inherited from Mokwe’s father, Chief CC Mokwe had been demolished by Governor Obi.
She alleged that the state Government threatened to demolish Mokwe’s Plaza at Ose Okwodu and other property belonging to him and his family and confiscate them.
She further alleged that her husband was set up, wondering why the police in Anambra State could not act until the IG Squad came based on a petition written on July 2, 2013.
She said the arrest was an attempt to divert the people from the real issue, stating that her husband was a land speculator and that there was misunderstanding between him and some four people, of which the cases are pending in the court. It was actually the case that led to the shooting of her husband in 2009.
However, a source from police in Anambra State said they have over whelming evidence to prosecute Mokwe, but insisted they will not be stampeded by some people who are playing to the gallery.
Daily Newswatch however learnt that there have been pressure on the State Police Command to release Mokwe on bail but because of the high profile nature of the matter, the Police are insisting that they will rather arraign him in court, so that the court will grant him bail if it finds his offences bail able.
mydailynewswatch
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