Enugu Woman Magistrate on Abduction Charge Dies in Prison Custody

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News, Uncategorized Thursday, June 5th, 2014

IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

The Judicial circle in Enugu state was on Wednesday thrown into mourning, following the death of a serving woman magistrate in the State, Mrs. Ifeoma Nneji, who died inside her cell in Enugu Prison.

African Examiner gathered that the deceased was said to have died of complications arising from shock.

It would be recalled that she was remanded in Enugu prison along with her husband last Monday after they were arraigned for “conspiracy, false information and attempted murder.”

The late magistrate, served at Oji River Magisterial District before she was recently suspended by the State Judicial Service Commission SJS on account of her alleged involvement in the abduction of a 9-year-old-girl.

However, Prison sources said that she took ill about 24 hours after she arrived the prison following her remand by an Enugu Magistrate Court for allegedly assaulting a female tenant residing in her husband’s house.

Her husband, Mr. Ifeanyi Nneji and another unnamed person living with them were said to have beaten and injured the tenant over an undisclosed squabble which resulted in the arraignment and remand of the couple.

Mr. Alloy Uchenna, Comptroller of Enugu Prison, confirmed the unfortunate demise of the magistrate, saying though, that the Deputy Controller in-charge of the prison was yet to brief him about what actually transpired.

In his reaction, the State Police public Relations officer PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu, said that Mrs Nneji and her husband were re-arraigned for another case of conspiracy, false information and attempted murder on Monday and were subsequently remanded in prison.

He said “They were remanded in Enugu prison custody where she died yesterday.

“The matter for which they were charged commenced from Abakpa Division and was later transferred to State Criminal Investigations Department, CID from where they were arraigned on Monday and the court remanded them in prison.

Amarizu said: “We heard the Magistrate died on Tuesday but the cause of her death is not yet known,” the state police spokesman stated.

Our correspondent reports that the late Nneji, was arrested on March 2, 2014 by the police for allegedly abducting a 9-year-old girl.