Following the reported case of an attempted murder of one Chidalu Ugwueke by his master Air Commodore Bernerd Ugwueke (rtd) and his wife Mrs Mary Ugwueke
The Member representing Aninri constituency, Chief Okwu Chinedu, has petitioned National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) over grievous bodily harm and attempted murder of a 15-year-old boy.
It was learnt that the boy, identified as Master Chidalu Ugwueke, an orphan, who was taken to Abuja to serve as house help to one Air Commodore Bernerd Ugwueke (rtd) and his wife Mrs Mary Ugwueke was constantly receiving dehumanizing treatments from the suspects and their children.
According to the petition by J. O. Onyeabor Esq, Mrs Mary Ugwueke with support of her husband and her kids detained him for four days without food, beat him with different objects, used hot iron on him leaving grievous wounds on his body.
Little Chidalu who was also forced to work from 6am to 6pm in a farm owned by the suspects was rescued by a driver who saw his condition and decided to bring him back to Enugu.Part of the petition reads: “We are Solicitors for master Chidalu Ugwueke through his Local Government representative at Enugu State House of Assembly Hon/Chief Okwu Chinedu (Otaka) House Committee Chairman on Youths and Sports, a responsible and law-abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on whose instruction we present this petition over and in respect of the actions of the above mentioned persons, and who for convenience we will in the course of this petition refer to as our client.We will for the same reason refer to the persons against whom this petition is brought as the suspects.
“It is the instruction of Our client that on Saturday the 17th day of July 2021 he got a distress call from one of his constituents, that one master Chidalu Ugwueke a 15 year old orphan and indigene of Emudo Nenwe who was taken to Abuja some time last year by Mrs Mary Ugwueke and her Husband Air Commodore Benard Ugwueke (Rtd) under the pretence that they wanted to help the young orphan, was rescued by Enugu State Police Command through the Nenwe/Oduma Police Division upon his miraculous return from Abuja through a good Samaritan driver who saw the degree of injury inflicted on the boy as he was looming about in Abuja and assisted him down to Enugu.
Our client in spite of his busy schedule took out time and visited the young Chidalu Ugwueke who narrated how the suspect turned him into the most dehumanizing modern slave, by forcing him to serve mason as a labourer and work in the poultry Farm simultaneously, forced to do so many jobs above his age from 6 am to 6pm daily, starved of food on so many days for little or no mistakes, even when other domestic staff like Mosa (the cook) and John (the gateman) out of pity and compassion offered to help him, the suspects would deal and threatened the duo thereby subjecting him to unbearable pains.
“The little Chidalu further narrated that he was unlawfully detained inside one room for four days without food, at some points jointly beaten by the madam and his children with the knowledge and approval of the husband, beaten with different objects, including using hot iron to design his body, with obvious high degrees of injuries all over his body as evidenced through pictures taken after few days of his recent torture, the said pictures will be attached to form part of this petition for your perusal and consideration.
Our client have been petrified and emotionally downcast after being confronted with the story of this little young orphan and the disturbing injuries inflicted all over his body including his eyes, hence this passionate appeal that you use your good offices to arrest and investigate the suspects to serve as a deterrent to others of their ilk even though our client had it on a good authority that the suspects were already boasting that nobody can arrest a retired military officer or his wife.
Our client will be on hand to throw more light on any aspect of the investigation required by your office, the suspects we learnt stays opposite Living Faith Church, Kuje Abuja.
We should be most grateful if you will be so kind as to give expeditious attention to our client’s request.”
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