Chinedum Treasure
Anambra state President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu has debunked a trending video where he appeared alongside a renowned legal practitioner, Chief John Okoli-Akirika, purporting them to have secured the discharge of some notorious native doctors, detained by the State Government on suspicion of ritualism and supporting get-rich-quick tendencies among youths.
The video which trended across various platforms on Friday, purported that the duo of Akwa Okuko of Oba in Idemili South LGA and Eke Hit of Okija in Ihiala Council Area were discharged at the Federal High Court in Awka.
The video showed the lawyer saying that the court found no iota of evidence against them.
But in a sharp response to the alleged claims, the Ohaneze boss said the video and the claims in it were falsehood concocted by the originators, for whatever selfish reasons they had.
Okpalaezeukwu, who addressed newsmen in Awka today on the issue, said he never appeared in any court whatsoever on behalf of the arrested native doctors.
He explained that the video of him and the legal practitioner attached to the trending video, was in 2021 at the Federal High Court, Awka, when he was leading the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth wing.
According to him, he was in court alongside other Igbo youth leaders to push the matter of 15 Igbo youths who were unjustly detained for over 15 years in the correctional centres.
He noted that as Igbo youths, they had engaged the judiciary and other appropriate quarters to ensure that the detained youths were released, and eventually justice was done.
“That video was on November 24, 2021, at the premises of the Federal High Court, and it has nothing to do with Akwa Okuko or Eke Hit.
“We got wind of the news of the youths being unjustly detained. The injustice became a matter of serious concern and we took responsibility as Igbo youths and engaged the judiciary and other appropriate quarters to ensure that they were released.
“Justice was finally done to them and they were acquitted of the offences and released,” he revealed.
Okpalaezeukwu noted that the video was at the Federal High Court Awka, while the native doctors’ matter should be going to the state High Court, Awka.
He further explained that the legal practitioner in the video was Chief Okoli-Akirika, who was part of the legal team that handled the matter.
“In the background, you could also see the Igbo youths released jubilating.
“So the video is a complete propaganda, which we do not at this moment, know the intent of the propagators.
“But we want to set the records straight in saying that we are not involved in the purported matter.
“Akwa Okuko to the best of our knowledge, is still in the detention and has not been discharged,” he insisted.
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