Read on Twitter
A Thread
1. It saddens me to share this, but after speaking with family and friends, we resolved that we cannot be quiet about this.
For almost a month now my Father, Pharm Vincent Okonkwo (Esq.), has been remanded in Orji River Prison in Enugu State on trumpeted charges.
1. It saddens me to share this, but after speaking with family and friends, we resolved that we cannot be quiet about this.
For almost a month now my Father, Pharm Vincent Okonkwo (Esq.), has been remanded in Orji River Prison in Enugu State on trumpeted charges.
2. He was arrested on 10th Sept. 2020 on a connivance between questionable personalities within my home community, Igga, and major players within the Enugu State Govt. He was arrested on funny charges of obtaining under false pretenses as you can see from the charge below.
3. Now, my Father, an intellectual and a Lawyer and Pharmacist by training, has been very involved in efforts to improve my home community. On occasions, he, and other elites in conjunction with the members of the community have worked projects to better the community.
4. Some of these efforts have been hindered by the same people who have now connived with authorities to unlawfully detain him. One of them claims to be the Igwe of our home community having acquired a certificate from the State Government to the effect.
5. The events leading to his arrest are captured in this Vanguard report of Sept. 23rd attached below. ( https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/09/enugu-community-drags-monarch-police-to-court-over-alleged-harassment-intimidation) He was arrested after he and the community truncated the plans of the “Igwe” to unlawfully sell large portions of communal lands for private gain.
5. After he was detained for weeks, refused bail and deprived of other basic human rights, the charge of obtaining under false pretense was dropped after the matter came before the magistrate court in Enugu State.
6. Instead of releasing him as by law, the persecutors further connived with the authorities to redraft the offence he was charged to an even more outrageous charge of Promoting Local War "against the leaders of the community."
7. The particulars of offence claim that he and “his children” have been waging war against the traditional leaders of the community. For context, my Father’s sons - myself, and my older brother - have not even been to Enugu State recently.
8. My brother, a senior software developer, works abroad and I am a first-rate lawyer working full time in Lagos. My Sisters either do not work or live in Enugu or are still kids. @codesword @JANEVIN6 @ObinnaBoss @onwurah_cyril
9. My father remains in unlawful detainment in terrible conditions. The case in court is being delayed by the authorities with one tactic after another employed to keep him from having a proper date in court.
10. The actions of his persecutors are backed by the Enugu State Government. We are calling on the assistance of the public, human rights organizations both local and international, the media and the good people of Enugu State -
- to help us make the government of Enugu State discontinue the unlawful detainment of Pharm. Vincent Nwachukwu Okonkwo (Esq.) and allow the machinery of justice to prevail in this matter. @ChidiOdinkalu @AbdulMahmud01 @SIAF_NG @segalink @savndaniel @MalachyOdo1
11. It is unspeakable that in a supposed civilized society, players in the government will aid themselves to persecuting people for trying to help their communities. #GburugburuFreeVincent
#EnuguStateFreeVincent
#UgwuanyiFreeVincent
#JusticeForVincent
#ENSGFreeIggaCommunity
#EnuguStateFreeVincent
#UgwuanyiFreeVincent
#JusticeForVincent
#ENSGFreeIggaCommunity
