Murder of 70-year-old: Ekiti faults police, calls for arrest of suspects

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Murder of 70-year-old: Ekiti faults police, calls for arrest of suspects

Written by Sam Nwaoko, Ado Ekiti Monday, 16 July 2012

THE Ekiti State government has faulted the state police command for not making any arrest in the alleged murder of a 70-year-old woman, Mrs Rebecca Adewumi, in Omuo, Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state on allegations that she was a witch.

A statement by the state Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment which also condemned the killing of the woman by some youths in the community, described the act as “criminal, barbaric and a contravention of laid down laws in Ekiti State.”

The statement, signed by the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs Fola Richie-Adewusi, lamented what she said was “the failure of the police to make any arrest since June 30 when the incident occurred just because some prominent leaders in the community reportedly advised the police against wading into a witchcraft case.”

Richie-Adewusi said it was regrettable that “such an unfortunate incidence could still happen in this modern age,” adding that, “it was sad that the poor old woman was killed based on alleged dream by a little girl that she had a hand in the illness of her stepson.”

She said the signing into law of the Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence Prohibition Bill by Governor Kayode Fayemi in November last year had “made such barbaric act a criminal matter in Ekiti State with great consequences.”
Mrs Richie-Adewusi called on the police to brace up “for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the dastardly act.”

He pointed out that “the Gender-Based Violence includes: threats to commit acts liable to result in physical abuse, which includes slapping, beating, arm twisting, stabbing, strangling, burning, choking, kicking, threats with an object or weapon, murder and traditional practices which are harmful to health and well being.”

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Accountability is Essential to Civil Society
written by Eskay Williams, July 16, 2012

It is good that Ekiti State government is requiring the police in Omuo to brace up “for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the dastardly act.” A situation where people are killed based on unverifiable allegation is unjust and anti social. I think people in Ekiti should start purging themselves of the myth of witchcraft. People do get old or sick to such extent that borders on what ignorance makes us stigmatize as witchcraft. In this twenty first century, Nigerians should be decent and knowledgeable enough to treat each other right. The police as a whole in Nigeria should cultivate their roles as the protector of civility, law enforcement, conscience of the nation, and victims advocate.

EKITI POLICE HAS NO KNOELDGE OF STATE LAW ON VIOLENCE
written by Julius Adedipe, July 17, 2012

We now read about an existing law against ritual or malicious killings - 'Ekiti state Gender - Based Prohibition Law' signed into law in November 2011 by Govenor Fayemi. It is a shame that the Ekiti Ploice Command officers assigned for this case did not know this law but chose not to arrest the supects names in the deceased - woman's family attorney's petition. Are they affraid of withcraft? If so they should be sacked! This case must go to court with all the so called local chiefs involved in the killing of an innocent woman.