Residents dissatisfied with delay in prosecuting killer policeman

Sixteen weeks after a community leader, Timothy Hunpoyanwa, was shot dead by a policeman in Makoko, an Egun-speaking community in Yaba,Lagos, the police have yet to arraign the alleged killer policeman.

The policeman, Pepple Boma, had allegedly shot Hunpoyanwa during the demolition of shanties on the Makoko waterfront.

According to the medical certificate, showing cause of death and signed by Dr. O.L. Lawal of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja,  Hunpoyanwa died as a result of gunshot injury to the abdomen on July 21.

It was learnt that Boma, who was being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, had been moved to the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro  on Saturday, members of the community expressed dissatisfaction with the way and manner the police were handling the matter.

President of the fishermen association in the community, Emmanuel Hagbe,  said he and other community leaders were invited to the police command headquarters in Ikeja on Thursday and were  made to write statement over again.

He said, “When the incident happened, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, who led other senior police officers, to the community to sympathise with us promised us that justice would prevail.

“But, days have run into weeks and weeks into months yet he hasn’t been charged to court. Is that how they would be dilly-dallying? This is dragging for too long and justice delayed they say is justice denied.”

The deceased left behind 26 children from five wives. However, it was learnt that one of the wives had divorced him before he died.

It was gathered that the tradition of the people of the community forbids the wife (or wives) of anyone who dies in a violent way such as that of Hunpoyanwa to work within one year after the death.

The four wives he left behind who are undergoing the tradition have been left at the mercy of friends and extended family members.

When our correspondent visited the community, it was gathered that three of the wives had moved in with family members in riverine community in Badagry,LagosState.

The third wife, Maria, who spoke through an interpreter, said she stayed back in the community because she had no extended relations to run to.

She said, “I have been going through hardship to feed my four children and also send them to school.

“I can’t work because of the tradition. Since his demise, it is not what we care for that we get to eat because like beggars, we cannot be choosers. Sometimes the children go to school hungry.”

One of the deceased’s daughters, Delfine, 13, said the family was facing economic hardship.

“I miss our father’s care and support which he extended equally to all his children. I am presently a primary six pupil and with this hardship, I nurse the fear that I might not be able to proceed beyond primary school education,” she said.

One of the chiefs in the community, Steven Adji, said Hunpoyanwa had not been buried because they were waiting for result of the  autopsy after which they would get the advice of lawyers who had volunteered to take up the case.

When contacted on the telephone on Saturday, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the police were still carrying on with the investigation.

She said, “The police would have to take time to do their investigation because the alleged killer policeman can’t be arraigned as a serving member of the force.

“If he is culpable, he would have to be dismissed first before he is charged to court.”