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Cynthia Osukogu: I Made My Confession Under Duress- Suspect

One of the suspected killers of Miss Cynthia Osukogu, Okwumo Nwabufo today (Wednesday) revealed before a Lagos High Court how he was tortured to admit … Continue reading Cynthia Osukogu: I Made My Confession Under Duress- Suspect


Cynthia Osokogu

One of the suspected killers of Miss Cynthia Osukogu, Okwumo Nwabufo today (Wednesday) revealed before a Lagos High Court how he was tortured to admit being the murderer of the deceased.

At the resumed hearing, Nwabufo who was led in evidence by his lawyer, Victor Okpara stated in a trial to determine how their (defendants) confessional statements were obtained during investigation.

The defendants, Okwumo Nwabufo 34; Olisaeloka Ezike, 24; Orji Osita, 33; and Ezike Nonso, 25, were charged to court by the Lagos State for the murder of Cynthia.

In his evidence, Nwabufo told the trial judge, Justice Olabisi Akinlade that he had been dating Cynthia for over one year before her death.

According to him, he and Cynthia had met more than five times before she was murdered.

However, Nwabufo insisted that the alleged confessional statement made by him was made under duress stressing that he was tortured by the police.

He said “On the day I was arrested, up to 20 policemen broke into my apartment and asked for my name after which they called me a murderer and started beating me. I was later blindfolded while I was putting on only pant and taken to FESTAC police station for interrogation’’.

According to Nwabufo, he asked the police to allow him contact his lawyer or relatives which they refused.

He said “when we got to the police station, I was taken to the Area Commander, Mr Dan Okoro’s office who showed me a lady’s picture and asked if I knew her. I said yes, she is my friend and he immediately called me a murderer while he used plyer to pinch my left eye.

“I was then taken to a room where I was chained and tortured to accept whatever they (the police) told us concerning the murder. I was chained and hung upside-down, like a roasted chicken’’,” he added.

Nwabufo further explained that it was during this torture that the police brought out a suspect and shot him on the leg to show that they would shoot us if we don’t comply.

“One of the policemen released tear-gas into my left eye and I have not been able to see with it since then,” he said.

Nwabufo further told the court that it was the torture that led to the statement which was being dictated to him at different times.

The suspects are alleged to have chained and strangled 25-year-old Osokogu to death at Cosmilla Hotel, FESTAC Town, Lagos, on July 22, 2012.