Remanded Enugu Magistrate Dies In Prison

An Enugu State magistrate, Mrs Ifeoma Nneji, has died in prison about 24 hours after she was remanded over an alleged case of assault and attempted murder.

She was remanded in prison on Monday, and reportedly died on Tuesday night.

It was gathered that the woman, who was remanded alongside her husband, died under yet to be established circumstances.

But prison authorities blamed her death on “complications arising from shock”.

The magistrate was remanded in Enugu prison alongside her husband on Monday after they were arraigned for “conspiracy, false information and attempted murder.”

Before the magistrate’s death, she served in the Oji River Magisterial District, until her recent suspension by the Enugu State Judicial Service Commission over her involvement in the alleged abduction of a nine-year-old girl.

She was remanded by an Enugu Magistrate Court for allegedly assaulting a female tenant residing in her husband’s house.

Her husband was said to have joined in beating up the tenant.

Although the cause of her death is yet to be disclosed, sources in the prison said the magistrate became ill about 24 hours after she was brought to the prison, following the remand order.

The Controller of Enugu Prison, Mr. Alloy Uchenna, who confirmed the death of the magistrate, however did not provide further details because, according to him, the Deputy Controller in charge of the prison has not briefed him about the development.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, also confirmed the death of the magistrate.

“They (Mr. and Mrs Nneji) were remanded in Enugu prison where she died yesterday.

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

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

She was arrested on March 2, 2014, for allegedly abducting the nine-year-old child.

It would be recalled that the National Human Rights Commission had, after her arrest, ordered an investigation into the case of child abuse brought against the magistrate.

The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Ben Angwe, had while ordering the probe on March 11, disclosed that the girl, Chinasa Armah, who lost her father 10 years ago, was allegedly abducted and abused by the magistrate.

The Commission said it gathered that the police on visiting the magistrate’s house found little Miss Armah sleeping on the bare floor within the compound with fresh wounds and scars all over her body.

Angwe therefore ordered the Enugu State Coordinator of the Commission to collaborate with relevant authorities and immediately commence a full scale investigation into the case.

“If it is found that the suspect has a case to answer, the Commission would collaborate with the relevant authorities to ensure that justice is done,” Angwe had said.

Efforts to ascertain the status of the investigation were not successful as at the time of filing this report....punch