A leader in Ogwashi-Uku community in Delta State, Chief Gabriel Ohai has claimed a commercial motorcycle operator (Okada rider), Stephen Ubaka did not die in the palace of the Obi neither was he beaten or tortured to death by local vigilante at the palace.
He made the assertion in a petition written to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Monday, saying it was not true that people were being arrested by the police without charges.
Chief Ohai said the allegations that the Okada man died as a result of the beatings by the vigilante is a cooked up story to leverage and bargain the release of his father and others currently in prison custody and those facing serious charges.
Chief Ohai said a deceased Okada rider, Mr. Stephen Ubaka and his father were on a Police wanted list for alleged murder, arson and rape in the community on June 29, 2021.
“Regarding the issue of Stephen Ubaka’s death, both the deceased and his father were on police wanted list of those who took part in a murder, arson, and rape on June 29, 2021.”
Some women had on September 28, 2023 staged a protest over the death of Mr. Stephen Ubaka, a commercial motorcycle operator. A letter was also written to the governor by a group, Ogbe Odogwu Progressives, alleging that people were indiscriminately arrested and taken to court without being charged with any crimes.
Chief Ohai said the allegations by the women and the group are “malicious, fictitious” and a “calculated attempt to mislead members of the public.
He said the intentions of the faceless group was simply to try to use the death of Stephen Ubaka to bargain the release of the suspects currently in custody for the June 2021 murder, rape and arson charges filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions for Delta State.
“The true fact is that Stephen Ubaka was a tuberculosis patient who had complications arising from retroviral infection secondary to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) over the years to the knowledge of all before he went for treatment at the General Hospital, Ogwashi-Uku.”
Chief Ohai pointed out the deceased’s medical records are at the Ogwashi-Uku General Hospital, where he was admitted before his death.
“He doesn’t show any sign of beating or physical injury in his picture. His cause of death can be ascertained from the doctors in the hospital. Most of the fabricated stories have been debunked by police investigators that the family reported the matter to”.
Chief Ohai in his petition, urged Governor Oborevwori to discountenance any letter from faceless groups saying the family has engaged a lawyer who has petitioned the police about Stephen Ubaka.
Chief Ohai insisted that the Police should be permitted to conclude their investigations and come out with their findings.
He also said Governor Oborevwori should not permit any interference with any ongoing judicial proceedings or police investigations, stressing that the allegations are very weighty and require proper and exhaustive investigations and conclusions.
“The victims of the crimes, including myself, will not be party or participate in any resolution of the matter outside the police or the courts”.
