How SARS killed my brother in 2004, denied me access to his corpse - Victim

Hailed from Ifitedunu, Dunukofia LGA of Anambra State, late Ekene, a 24 year old Final Year of student of Statistics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, was arrested in 2004 when the defunct unit of police allegedly came to arrest one Master Chinedu.

"They told me they arrested him when they came to arrest the son of the owner of the lodge where he lived at Awka while schooling at Unizik. I am living at Nkpor. They didn't tell me why he was arrested. I demanded to see him.

"And they told me 'We have wasted the young man.' When I demanded to see his corpse, they refused to release it to me till date. We have to conduct a funeral for him after waiting without reply from SARS. Here is the condolence register signed by sympathisersÔÇØ Akabike told Blueprint after addressing the Anambra State Judicial panel of inquiry on police brutality, extra judicial killings and other related matters,ÔÇØ he narrated.

The panel was set up by governor Willie Obiano to among other things investigate police brutality relating tp torture, highhandedness, alleged extra judicial killings by SARS, and to recommend appropriate compensation.

According to the trader, after a source confided to them that Ekene died under SARS custody on 3rd June 2004, the family in accordance to custom of Igbo land, printed posters and conducted his funeral rite on July 2004 although his corpse was not found.

He added that the death of Ekene, who according to him, was their last child, caused their mother an undisclosed ailment which equally led to her untimely death.