Court Remands Task Force Personnel Arrested in Connection with JSS 3 student’s accident at Ozuoba in Prison Custody

*Father of the victim complains of Police constant demand for money

BY IBRAHIM BAKARE

A Magistrate Court sitting in Choba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers has remanded in prison custody, one Deinye Dappa, a taskforce personnel accused of triggering the accident which involved a 13 year-old JSS 3 student at Ozuoba axis of Port Harcourt.

The defendant was arraigned in court by the Rivers State Police Command and is facing a two-count charge.

On September 9 ,Deinye Dappa, who claims to be a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Enforcement Team, Rumuekini branch, was said to have hijacked the steering of Mr.Augustine Okoro, a driver of the car which accidentally knocked down Jamma Etop, a JSS 3 student who was then returning from a Junior WAEC exam.

The Presiding Magistrate, Chief Magistrate Israel Agbaesor granted bail to Augustine Okoro, the car driver and adjourned the case to 3 December, 2020 for the Defendant to take his plea while remanding him in prison custody.

Meanwhile, Bassey Etop, Father of the accident victim who spoke to journalists shortly after the court proceeding, thanked God that his son survived the accident, but expressed dissatisfaction on how the Police is carrying out investigation of the matter.

He alleged that the Police at the Ozuoba Police station in Obio Akpor local government area of the state have made things difficult for his family since the case came up, as he is being constantly asked to pay money.

He however commended the judiciary for playing their role in the matter.

It would be recalled that on September 9,some men suspected to be members of the disbanded Rivers Task Force on Illegal Street Trading and Motor Parks have been sighted in the Ozuoba axis of Port Harcourt have caused a vehicle ram into a JSS3 student returning from French subject examination.

The young boy is said to be battling for survival after sustaining life threatening injuries in Port Harcourt based hospital.

Ozuoba Police Division are now interrogating one of suspects who was apprehended by members of the public who were eyewitnesses at the scene of the incident.

The suspects who are among the disbanded Taskforce yb Governor Nyesom Wike claim to be attached to Obio/Akpor Local Government Area council.

Evidence that the student was returning from French subject examination was recovered from Pocket of the victim 

According to a statement by Port Harcourt based human rights activist, Prince Wiro, a JSS3 student sustained life threatening injury on Tuesday when one of the suspects started dragging the steering of a cab with the driver and knocked down the student who was returning from examination in Ozuoba,Port Harcourt.

Wiro said a mob succeeded in arresting one of the Taskforce force members and handed him over to Ozuoba Police Station.”I have spoken with the head teacher of the school Mrs. Bisi Nwabueka who confirmed the incident to me.

Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council area, Mr. Solomon Eke, had raised an alarm about unauthorised officials impersonating members of the Council as Task Force and levy collectors.