Posted by By CHUKS ONUOHA, Umuahia on
A 63-year-old Apostle in Umuahia has recalled, amid tears, how a drunken driver crushed his grandchild in his presence.
A 63-year-old Apostle in Umuahia has recalled, amid tears, how a drunken driver crushed his grandchild in his presence.
Apostle Fyne Onuoha, the founder and General Overseer of The Messiah Pentecostal Church along Ngwa Street, Owerri road, could not hold back tears as he talked about the cruel death of his twin grandchild Master Chibueze Henry Onuoha.
He said: "I was sitting in front of the church counselling some members on their spiritual challenges. From time to time, I would flash my eyes towards the children who were playing with tyres.
"We have lived in this place for many years so the children don't go near the road. They always played within the premises. I never had any premonition that evil was lurking around. It was a very cool and peaceful evening as four-year-old Chibueze and some of his mates were playing. I never knew that death was tracing my grandchild, Chibueze through a man who had soaked his spirit and body with alcohol and woman because when the unexpected happened, alcohol and women were the things found in his car.
"Suddenly, a vehicle crashed into the canopy from under the mango tree, jumping the barricades demarcating the road from the compound of the church. The vehicle, a black BMW marked Ogun -AJ675 TTD was making a deafening sound like one whose turtle pedal was pressed down. Under the motor came the cries of my grandchild as the man at the wheel kept firing the car.
"The noise of the car attracted neighbours and passers-by who came to the child that was trapped in-between the two front wheels.
The driver was still trying to reverse and probably disappear. As he moved back with a force, the cries of the child died down.
By this time, the right hand of the car had twisted the neck of Chibueze. In the confusion that ensued, the driver jumped out and disappeared while three occupants of the car, all females also disappeared. By the time Chibueze was rescued from under the tyre, he was stone dead.
The driver's licence of the person behind the wheel was found in the car bearing the name Emeka Ohabuiro. Kegs of palm-wine, bottles of beer and hot drinks were found inside the car, which showed that the driver must have been driving under the influence of alcohol.
Apostle Onuoha described the incident as a big blow to his person and family. But he quoted the scripture to say that God knows the reason young Chibueze should be so violently killed.
"He was too close to me. I wonder what Satan had wanted to achieve through this," he said.