A Police constable, Ophedo Chidera attached to Anara Divisional police Headquarters in Isiala Mbano Local Council of Imo state on Monday beat up a man over N10,000 bail bribe.
The victim, Azutalam had gone to the police division to bail a widow, Akudo Chimezie, who was arrested by the cop.
The police constable had held the widow in custody and insisted that she must give him N10,000 in order to regain her freedom.
The detained widow, it was learnt had to contact Azutalam who is her relative to seek her bail.
The victim told Journalists from a hospital bed that Chidera asked him to bring N10,000 as a bribe for the window’s bail.
Azuatalam said that he pleaded with the constable to take N5,000 and release his relative, an appeal that infuriated the cop who allegedly pounced on him and gave him the beating of his life at the police division.
According to the victim, ” when I got to the police station, the IPO asked me to bring N10,000 before he will give me my aunty on bail. I told him to take N5,000 because of the window’s pitiable financial condition. He immediately got angry and asked me to leave his presence. I told him to calm down, reminding him that the Inspector- -General of Police said that bail is free.
“He immediately pounced on me, using all available weapons on me. He broke my lips, jaw, chins. My eyes were equally affected. He threatened to shoot me and that nothing would happen. It was another police officer who came out from one of the offices that rescued me from him. As I speak to you, my teeth are shaking and I am having severe pains, internally. This is intimidation”.
Our correspondent gathered that the cop was notorious in the area and was said to be in the business of intimidating people. He was said to have been transferred out of the division before but he worked his way back to the division.
A police officer at the division who does not want to be mentioned disclosed that the DPO was not at the station when the incident occurred as he had gone to Owerri for the weekly briefing of the Commissioner of Police.
He further disclosed that immediately he was informed of the incident on his return, he ordered the arrest and detention of Police constable Chidera and the officer will be severely punished if found culpable for such act of gross misconduct.
Police public relations officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, told our correspondent that the command’s Police Complaint Bureau will handle the matter.
Ikeokwu said that the errant cop had been arrested and detained and that disciplinary actions had commenced against him.
He assured that the cop would face the wrath of the law should he be found culpable.
