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By Akpan David, Calabar
A lawyer, Mba Ukweni, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), has cautioned he Cross River State police command that his client, Mr Peter Akpanke, the PDP candidate for the House of Representatives election for Obudu, Bekwarra and Obanliku Federal Constituency did not commit any crime and was not on the run as declared by them.
The client himself in a statement has also stated that he was not on the run and that the police never invited him, challenging them to show proof.
“I have not been served any process. Ask them why they are carrying out a trial in Calabar instead of Obudu where the incident happened. Can the police show any proof of any invitation that I didn’t honour?” Akpanke said.
Police Command declared Mr Akpanke wanted following a court order, issued by the Hon. Justice Blessing Egwu of ( Court 12) the Cross River State High Court.
Police Spokesperson, SP Irene Ugbo, in a statement dated January 23, 2023, declared Akpanke wanted in connection with the suspected murder of one Emmanuel Martin, a police Inspector.
In the statement, Ugbo said, Inspector Martin was shot and killed on May 25, 2022, in Obudu, Cross River North, during the House of Representatives primaries of the PDP.
But the SAN who led the Legal team for Peter Akpanke described the police action as politically motivated.
Ukweni said the police action is aimed at distracting their client from scheduled electioneering activities as elections draw near.
Ukweni said,
“The statement is politically motivated and positioned to distract my client as he prepares for next month’s elections. Peter Akpanke is not running away from any trial, but we will bring to the fore the fact that Peter did nothing.
“The person who committed the offence was arrested and handed over to the police. Luckily for us, the extra-judicial statements have been taken by the police. Regrettably, the person who brought those who killed the Inspector, is not standing trial.
“The person who fired the shot that killed the policeman is shielded by the state and they had to give fiat to a private prosecutor, it shows the interest the government has in this matter” Ukweni stated.
The supposed suspect who fired and killed the Inspector, who was interrogated by the police, gave a vivid description of what transpired on that fateful day in a video
“What they are just trying to do is distract my client from concentrating on his elections. The person who brought the boy who shot and killed the officer has gone to join the governor’s camp and his name has been removed from the charge sheet…isn’t this unacceptable? We won’t let this unnecessary prosecution happen”, Ukweni said.
