The Anambra State Police command has denied a media publication that police assaulted a 98-year-old woman with an AK-47 rifle.
The police spokesman in the state, Harunna Mohammed, in a statement on Tuesday, said the publication was false and mischievous with intention to paint the police black.
He said, on the 19/8/2019, the Commissioner of Police received a formal complaint from a legal practitioner that his client, one Esther Nzekwe, was assaulted by her fiancee, one Emeka Okpalaku and that the man also confiscated her credentials, including her National Youth service corps (NYSC) call up letter in order to prevent her from reporting to NYSC camp which dateline closes on the 20/8/2019.
He also stated that the complainant further alleged that the suspect was planning to travel back to Japan where he lives.
Mohammed said, following the petition, the Commissioner of Police CP John B. Abang ordered for a full scale investigation into the matter.
“Police detectives visited the house to invite the suspect but as soon as he sighted the Police, he quickly ran inside the house and locked all the entrances.
All efforts by the Police to prevail on the suspect to open the doors proved abortive until the police used power of ingress in accordance with section 7(1&2) CPA laws of the Federation to gain access into the house but the suspect eventually escaped.
“Consequently, the Police rescued a one year old daughter of the complainant, who was locked inside the house and left crying without care.
“Till date the suspect is still on the run and has not returned the credentials he forcefully collected from the lady while investigation is still ongoing,” he said.
The Command is wondering why the person who allegedly assaulted a woman and deprived her from participating in the National Youth Service will be the same person spreading falsehood that police assaulted a 98-year-old woman using AK-47 rifle which was totally false and unfounded.
“In view of the foregoing, the Police enjoined the public to ignore such publications which is aimed at raising false alarm and casting aspersions against the Force in order to divert attention from the real facts,” Mohammed said.
