Pregnant Wife Assault: Controversy Trails Enugu DPP Alleged Involvement

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Controversy has continued to trail the alledged lack of action of the Enugu state Directorate of public prosecution DPP in a case of assault on a pregnant wife by the husband.

Leader of a group with bias for women issue who spoke to our Correspondent under condition of anonymity said as mother’s they wont fold their arms and watch public office holders being paid with tax payers money compromised their duties, saying they must implore legal means in getting to the root of the matter.

African Examiner reports that four months after she lost her five months old pregnancy following her battering by her ex-husband, a young woman, Patience Amaka Edeh has petitioned the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Enugu state accusing the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) of compromising in the case.

In a petition to the Attorney General dated January 13, 2024, a copy of which was made available to the newsmen in Enugu, she lamented that not minding the human and material losses she suffered from the assault by her ex-husband, the Directorate connived with him (ex-husband) to release him from custody without her knowledge or remedy paid to her.

Edeh narrated how she was beaten to a pulp by her ex -husband, Evidence Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, leading to her spending over three weeks in the hospital and loss of five months pregnancy.

She added that after her ex-husband was arrested, arraigned and remanded in Correctional custody with the case file transferred to DPP, all efforts to follow up on the matter was blocked by the agency.

“The above matter was a case of assault against me by my ex -husband, Evidence Ugochukwu Nwachukwu.

“Mr Evidence Ugochukwu Nwachukwu had on September, 29, 2023, beating me to pulp. The beating resulted to serious bleeding and loss of five months pregnancy.

“He was subsequently arrested by the police, arraigned on October 10, 2023 on two count charges of battery and willful damages and remanded in the Correctional custody pending the advice from the Directorate for Public Prosecution (DPP)”

Edeh stated that that was the last she heard about the matter as about a month later, she visited the office of the DPP in the Ministry of Justice, Enugu to ascertain the status of the pending matter, but was asked to ” pay N6,500 (Six thousand five hundred naira) to enable them file a case “as soon as possible”

She added: “I had left the office in the protest that getting the DPP’s advice in a matter as grievous as loosing five months pregnancy should not be determined on payment of money. Besides, I did not have such an amount to pay.

“I had therefore, gone home to await the invitation of the DPP on the next line of action.

“On 22 December, 2023, however, i discovered to my greatest chagrin and shock that the culprit ( Evidence Ugochukwu Nwachukwu) who should be in custody had been freed.

“Sir, I am still wondering when the court sat to free him and under what conditions. I was never invited by the DPP for any kind of settlement till date. I spent more than three weeks on admission at the Parklane General Hospital where doctors battled to save my life after the incident with bills paid.

“My properties including generator and Samsung television set that he ( Evidence Ugochukwu Nwachukwu) removed from my house while I was on admission at the hospital have not been restored to me”, she cried out

Director, Public Prosecution, Mrs Ngozi Okoye, in her reaction said that the matter was “properly charged and bail granted by the court”.

She also denied knowledge of the demand for payment for the case to be filed in court and urged the petitioner to come forward with the identity of the official that made the demand.