Mrs. Philo Osovwo, wife of late Mr. Tiemkemfa Francis Osovwo (aka General Gbokos) and his immediate family members have written to the Attorney general of the federation and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke seeking a coroner’s inquest into the ‘suspicious’ death of General Gbokos.
The letter written by Festus Keyamo on behalf of the family said “we urge you to use your good offices to apply to court to cause a Coroner’s Inquest to be conducted into the cause of the death of the deceased in line with Section 30 of the Coroner’s Act, CAP 489, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, 2006.
Keyamo noted in the letter that “It is our brief that Mr. Tiemkemfa Francis Osovwo (aka General Gbokos) who was standing trial in the Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly participating in the October 1st 2010 bombings in Abuja, died in Kuje Prisons on the 2nd of March, 2012.
“Our brief equally reveals that the said deceased was on remand with three other accused persons on the Order of the Federal High Court. The deceased was locked up in a solitary cell along with the three other co-accused since December, 2010. The deceased and his co-accused were treated in a very harsh and inhumane manner.
“For instance, the deceased was not allowed to carry out any form of physical exercise; he was not allowed to worship like other inmates awaiting trial; he was also not given the needed medical attention.
“On the 8th of December, 2011, the deceased cell and that of the three other accused persons was fumigated with a dangerous and unknown substance, whilst they were in the cell. They were compelled to remain therein and inhale the dangerous chemical used in fumigating the cell.
“The health of the deceased and the other accused persons degenerated after the fumigation of their cell and after they were forced to inhale the dangerous and unknown chemicals used in the fumigation.
“Even when his health condition degenerated and the attention of the prison authority was drawn to his state of health, he was refused the needed treatment, which later caused his sudden and untimely death in prison custody.
Read the full text of the letter below:
Monday, March 12, 2012.
The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation,
Federal Ministry of Justice,
Central Business District,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
REQUEST PURSUANT TO SECTION 30 OF THE CORONERS ACT CAP. 489, LAWS OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, 2006, CONCERNING THE SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF TIEMKEMFA FRANCIS OSOVWO (AKA GENERAL GBOKOS) WHO DIED IN KUJE PRISONS
We are solicitors to Mrs. Philo Osovwo, wife of late Mr. Tiemkemfa Francis Osovwo (aka General Gbokos) and his immediate family members and we write on their instructions.
It is our brief that Mr. Tiemkemfa Francis Osovwo (aka General Gbokos) who was standing trial in the Federal High Court, Abuja, for allegedly participating in the October 1st 2010 bombings in Abuja, died in Kuje Prisons on the 2nd of March, 2012.
Our brief equally reveals that the said deceased was on remand with three other accused persons on the Order of the Federal High Court. The deceased was locked up in a solitary cell along with the three other co-accused since December, 2010. The deceased and his co-accused were treated in a very harsh and inhumane manner.
For instance, the deceased was not allowed to carry out any form of physical exercise; he was not allowed to worship like other inmates awaiting trial; he was also not given the needed medical attention.
On the 8th of December, 2011, the deceased cell and that of the three other accused persons was fumigated with a dangerous and unknown substance, whilst they were in the cell. They were compelled to remain therein and inhale the dangerous chemical used in fumigating the cell.
The health of the deceased and the other accused persons degenerated after the fumigation of their cell and after they were forced to inhale the dangerous and unknown chemicals used in the fumigation.
Even when his health condition degenerated and the attention of the prison authority was drawn to his state of health, he was refused the needed treatment, which later caused his sudden and untimely death in prison custody.
Consequently, we urge you to use your good offices to apply to court to cause a Coroner’s Inquest to be conducted into the cause of the death of the deceased in line with Section 30 of the Coroner’s Act, CAP 489, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, 2006.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
FESTUS KEYAMO, ESQ.
Head of chambers
