Ritual killing: Court detains police inspector over escape of suspect

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers state,
Thursday remanded an erstwhile police inspector, Johnbosco
Okoroeze, for allegedly aiding the escape from police custody of
Maxwell Ifeanyi Dike, who confessed to defiling and killing an
eight year old girl, Chikamso Victory, for the purpose of money
ritual.

Johnbosco who had just been dismissed from the Police Force, was
the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the
investigation of the murder of Victory, by a 23-year-old suspect,
Dike, who escaped from the police net after he made his
confessional statement to the police on Saturday, August 19.

The accused person, who was arraigned in court on Thursday, by
the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, is facing two count
charges of conspiracy and assistant to escape of a suspected
murderer in suit number PMC/1744c/2017.

The charges read: “That you Johnbosco Okoroeze ‘m’ on the 19th
August, 2017 at about 20:30hours at State Criminal Investigation
and Intelligence Department, SCID, Port Harcourt, in the Port
Harcourt Magisterial District did assist one Ifeanyi Maxwell Dike
‘m’ who is to your knowledge guilty of the offence of mu7rdeer of
one Chikamso Mezuwuba aged 8 years for ritual to escape when he was
to be detained for prosecution and thereby committed an offence
punishable under Section 322 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. II
Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.

“That you Johnbosco Okoroeze ‘m’ on the same date and place in
the aforesaid Magisterial District did conspired with a suspect,
Ifeanyi Maxwell Dike ‘m’ and allowed him to escape from prosecution
to prevent and defeat the course of justice and thereby committed
an offence punishable under Section 126 (1) of the Criminal Code
Cap 37 Vol. II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.”

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Sokari Andrew-Jaja, in his
ruling said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain one of
the counts of aiding and abetting the escape of a murder
suspect.

He said the case file of the accused will be forwarded to the
Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice while the police
officer is remanded in prison custody. The matter was adjourned
till September 14, for mention.

The State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, confirmed that the
Police Inspector has been dismissed from the force having been
found guilty of two counts in an orderly room trial according to
the rules guiding the operation of the Police Service.

The two counts are: negligence and aiding and abetting the
escape of a murder suspect. Ahmed also stated that a second suspect
named in Duke’s confessional statement has been arrested by the
police.

“I can confirm that a second suspect, Maxwell Ifeanyi Dike, has
been arrested and he has made a confessional statement. He is under
detention and he is helping the Police in its investigation into
the matter”.

“The second suspect was arrested this morning (Thursday). The
principal suspect had mentioned in his confessional statement that
the second suspect had asked him to procure human parts for the
purpose for ritual money making.”

“Maxwell Ifeanyi Dike’s accomplice is being interrogated. Any
information we get from him will be made available to the public.
We have nothing to hide. John Bosco has been dismissed by the
Nigeria Police Service Commission.”

The police commissioner said the police was on the trail of
Dike, the 23 year old undergraduate student of the University of
Port Harcourt, and would soon get him re-arrested.

Ahmed appealed to members of the public to assist the Police
with useful information that would lead to the arrest of the
fleeing ritual killer.

The Police has promised a reward of N1m for anyone who provides
valuable information that would lead to the arrest of Ifeanyi Dike.
He had confessed to defiling and killing his niece, Victory
Chikamso, and removing vital parts from her body.

The incident happened at the Eliozu axis of Port Harcourt. Dike
was arrested by members of the local vigilante in the area at
1.20.am. On Friday and handed over to the Police at Okoronieze
Police Station.

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers state,
Thursday remanded an erstwhile police inspector, Johnbosco
Okoroeze, for allegedly aiding the escape from police custody of
Maxwell Ifeanyi Dike, who confessed to defiling and killing an
eight year old girl, Chikamso Victory, for the purpose of money
ritual.

Johnbosco who had just been dismissed from the Police Force, was
the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the
investigation of the murder of Victory, by a 23-year-old suspect,
Dike, who escaped from the police net after he made his
confessional statement to the police on Saturday, August 19.

The accused person, who was arraigned in court on Thursday, by
the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, is facing two count
charges of conspiracy and assistant to escape of a suspected
murderer in suit number PMC/1744c/2017.

The charges read: “That you Johnbosco Okoroeze ‘m’ on the 19th
August, 2017 at about 20:30hours at State Criminal Investigation
and Intelligence Department, SCID, Port Harcourt, in the Port
Harcourt Magisterial District did assist one Ifeanyi Maxwell Dike
‘m’ who is to your knowledge guilty of the offence of mu7rdeer of
one Chikamso Mezuwuba aged 8 years for ritual to escape when he was
to be detained for prosecution and thereby committed an offence
punishable under Section 322 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. II
Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.

“That you Johnbosco Okoroeze ‘m’ on the same date and place in
the aforesaid Magisterial District did conspired with a suspect,
Ifeanyi Maxwell Dike ‘m’ and allowed him to escape from prosecution
to prevent and defeat the course of justice and thereby committed
an offence punishable under Section 126 (1) of the Criminal Code
Cap 37 Vol. II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.”

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Sokari Andrew-Jaja, in his
ruling said the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain one of
the counts of aiding and abetting the escape of a murder
suspect.

He said the case file of the accused will be forwarded to the
Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice while the police
officer is remanded in prison custody. The matter was adjourned
till September 14, for mention.

The State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, confirmed that the
Police Inspector has been dismissed from the force having been
found guilty of two counts in an orderly room trial according to
the rules guiding the operation of the Police Service.

The two counts are: negligence and aiding and abetting the
escape of a murder suspect. Ahmed also stated that a second suspect
named in Duke’s confessional statement has been arrested by the
police.

“I can confirm that a second suspect, Maxwell Ifeanyi Dike, has
been arrested and he has made a confessional statement. He is under
detention and he is helping the Police in its investigation into
the matter”.

“The second suspect was arrested this morning (Thursday). The
principal suspect had mentioned in his confessional statement that
the second suspect had asked him to procure human parts for the
purpose for ritual money making.”

“Maxwell Ifeanyi Dike’s accomplice is being interrogated. Any
information we get from him will be made available to the public.
We have nothing to hide. John Bosco has been dismissed by the
Nigeria Police Service Commission.”

The police commissioner said the police was on the trail of
Dike, the 23 year old undergraduate student of the University of
Port Harcourt, and would soon get him re-arrested.

Ahmed appealed to members of the public to assist the Police
with useful information that would lead to the arrest of the
fleeing ritual killer.

The Police has promised a reward of N1m for anyone who provides
valuable information that would lead to the arrest of Ifeanyi Dike.
He had confessed to defiling and killing his niece, Victory
Chikamso, and removing vital parts from her body.

The incident happened at the Eliozu axis of Port Harcourt. Dike
was arrested by members of the local vigilante in the area at
1.20.am. On Friday and handed over to the Police at Okoronieze
Police Station.