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A 14-year old boy, Joshua Chimuanya Iheukwumere has dragged the Governorship candidate of the Accord Party in the November 6 governorship election in Anambra state, to court, alongside 10 others in a case bordering on alleged abduction, and dehumanizing treatments on the minor.
The crisis leading to the alleged attack on the boy stems from conflicting positions among members of Nkerehi community over the name change of the community to ‘Umuchukwu community’, which has polarized the community between supporters of Nkerehi and supporters of Umuchukwu.
The court process avers that Dr. Godwin Maduka initiated the name change in 2007.
In the N100 million suit filed at an Anambra state High Court, Orumba South Judicial Division, with Suit No. HOS/Misc.13M/2021, Dr. Godwin Maduka was listed as the 11th respondent while Barr. Kenneth Maduka, Kingsley Maduka, Emeka Adinchezo, Nnaemeka Nwele, Ekene Nwankwo, Nicholas Eze, Anthony Asike Nwele, Ndubuisi Nnadi, Chimaije Nwafor and Buchi Nwafor were listed as 1st to 10th respondents respectively.
In the affidavit of facts made by the applicant, Joshua Chimuanya Iheukwumere through his father, Samson Anulobi, who stood in for him, he stated that on the night of 6th January, 2021, he had gone to defecate behind their house when Nicholas Eze and Ndubuisi Nnadi (6th and 8th respondents) grabbed him, gagged him so he could not scream and took him to the house of Barr. Kenneth Maduka (1st respondent) where he saw other respondents including Dr. Godwin Maduka (11th respondent).
He noted that the 1st to 10th respondents started beating him and tied his hands behind his back with the first respondent asking him to say that he was sent to his house to spy out his house and spray charms, by Joseph Anulobi, Simon Okeke, Benjamin Onwu and Barr. Basil Igwike.
The 1st to 10th respondents who were supporters of the Umuchukwu faction of the community, the affidavit alleged, had torn the boxers of Joshua Chimuanya Iheukwumere and had marched him naked to his father’s house, badly beaten, with his hands tied to his back.
The affidavit also noted that the respondents allegedly did a nude video of the boy and put it out on social media which attracted some journalists who later came to interview the boy.
As a result, the boy is severely traumatized by the brutal attack on him and by his nude visuals in circulation.
Consequently, the applicant, Iheukwumere, while claiming damages to the tune of N100 million, prayed the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents or their agents from further abducting or assaulting him or interfering in any manner with his fundamental human rights.
The case was last called up for hearing on the 12th of July, 2021 and the lawyer for the 11 respondents Barr. Anayo Emejuo appealed to the court for an extension of time to file their responses, which the court granted and then set the next adjourned date for hearing on the matter as 15th September, 2021.
