Posted by By BEN OKEZIE, Abuja on
A key police witness in the ongoing investigation into the recent killing of six Apo traders by the police is dead.
A key police witness in the ongoing investigation into the recent killing of six Apo traders by the police is dead.
He died few hours before he was billed to appear before the panel, thereby sending shocks to the crowded venue of the sitting Monday.
News of the death of Constable Anthony Idah was broken to the panel in the course of the cross examination of one ASP Zacharia, the officer in-charge of the police patrol team code-named 'AS" - Attack Squad- which shot the traders described as armed robbers by the police.
Zacharia stunned the audience when he told Mr. Amobi Nzelu, counsel to the relatives of the deceased that 'Private Anthony has died. I don't know what killed him."
However, Nzelu accused the police of masterminding the death of Idah. When accused by Nzelu of masterminding the elimination of the police constable, Zacharia protested vehemently, saying, ' You are defaming my character."
Taken aback by news of the death, chairman of the panel, DIG Mike Okiro shouted, 'You mean that Anthony is dead?"
Until his death, Idah was a member of the police patrol team code-named 'Alpha Service."
Okiro later adjourned sitting, insisting that the panel would follow its terms of reference strictly.
In another development, a youngman who attacked a cameraman and destroyed his camera was arrested at the venue of the hearing and handed over to the police for investigation.