Man beaten to death by mob was not a kidnapper – Police say

Anambra State Police Command has said that preliminary investigation reveals that late Paschal Onyilo, who was beaten to death by a mob after he was falsely accused of attempting to abducted some school children, was not a kidnapper.

Recall that deceased was on his way to Obosi for an assignment, to set up for an event. On getting to Umuoji, some young school children knowingly or accidentally threw stones at his passing vehicle and caused some damage. He then alighted from the vehicle to accost the kids that caused such malicious damage. The children that caused the damage all ran away except for one that wasn’t so lucky. Paschal held him and requested that he be taken to his parents. He had the intention of demanding for the repairs of his damaged vehicle from them. The kids that had escaped earlier ran to some elders in the community and raised a false alarm that a certain man had ‘kidnapped’ one of them. The men quickly mobilised and confronted Paschal. They didn’t give him a chance to explain himself and pounced on him beating him to pulp.

Spokesperson for the command, SP Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the development on Friday, said investigation is ongoing to identify and arrest perpetrators of this dastardly act. Read statement below:

It would be recalled that on the 30/1/2019 at about 8:15 am, there was a distress call at Ogidi Police Station that a middle age Man later identified as Mr Paschal  Onyilo ‘m’ allegedly attempted to kidnap a school child at Umouji town of Idemili North LGA of Anambra State.

2. Instead of handling the suspect to the Police for discreet investigation, the mob took law into their hands and descended heavenly on the with beatings until he became unconscious and also tried to burn him alive inside his Toyota Camry Car with REG No AA 852 CP .

3. Meanwhile, following the distress call, police Patrol Team attached to Ogidi Division rushed to the scene, rescued the suspect and rushed him to Iyi – Enu Hospital Ogidi for treatment but immediately after his evacuation the Toyota Camry Car was set ablaze by the angry mob.

4. However, Victim was certified dead by the medical Doctor on the 3/2/2019 at about 8:am while receiving treatment and his corpse was deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

5. Consequently, preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was not a kidnapper as alleged. He was on his way to Obosi to install a Public address system When a yet to be identified school pupil allegedly threw a stone on his Car and smashed his windscreen.He came down to arrest the boy with intent to take him to the nearest Police Station but a false kidnap alarm was raised by the people in the Area who mobbed him without giving him a chance to exculpate himself.

6. Meanwhile, investigation is ongoing to identify and arrest perpetrators of this dastardly act who took laws into their hands in order to bring them to Justice.

7. Finally, the Command is making a clarion call on the Public to refrain from taking laws into their hands on mere allegations as these would not only leads to killing of innocent persons as in this instance but will also jeopardize Police investigation even when the allegation is true. (LIB)