Police demand N300,000 for autopsy, father of slain undergraduate alleges

PA Isaac Opara, whose undergraduate son, Chidera, was allegedly stabbed to death by a man identified as Chimezie Nwankpa, in Aba, Abia State, has alleged that some operatives of the State Police Command , Umuahia, have demanded N300,000 from him, to enable them conduct autopsy on the corpse. Chidera Opara, aged 27, a student of the University of Port Harcourt, was said to have received a call on April 16, at about 7am and went outside his residence located at Uratta, Aba, to meet with the caller, unaware that death was lurking.

Eyewitnesses said the assailant, Chimezie, swooped on the undergraduate as he came close and stabbed him on the chest while they fought over an undisclosed disagreement. The victim fell in a pool of his blood and was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead. Angered by the incident, neighbours arrested Chimezie and handed him over to the Uratta Police Division from where he was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Umuahia. It was gathered that an angry mob later set Chimezie father’s house ablaze.

In an interview with Pa Opara said, his late son was an easy-going person, who had no problem with anyone and wondered why he was killed in cold blood. He added that Chidera’s mother and siblings had refused to be consoled over the loss. “The Police should release my son’s corpse to me for burial. I have left everything about his death to God. I have been sick for two years now, where will I get the N300,000 they are demanding to conduct autopsy on the corpse? “We also hired a bus to enable them come to Aba for investigation. It has not been easy with the family,” he lamented. Police never demanded money—CP Contacted, Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Anthony Ogbizi, who confirmed the incident, denied that the Police demanded N300,000, from Pa Opara to conduct autopsy on his late son. “It is a case of murder where a student of University of Port Harcourt, Chidera Opara, was stabbed to death with scissors. The scene has been visited, corpse inspected at the mortuary and photographed. Coroner’s forms have been served on the pathologist awaiting autopsy. Interim report is also being prepared. The Police team told me they never demanded any money from the family of the deceased,” the CP said.