Lawyer to some of the suspects in the October 1, 2010 bombing of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, while the celebration of the country’s Independence Day was ongoing, Festus Keyamo, has raised the alarm over the death in custody today of one of the suspects.
The suspect, Tiemkenfa Francis Osvwo, popularly known as General, according to Keyamo, was murdered in Kuje Prison, Abuja, where he was held with other suspects.
Keyamo, in a statement today, said that it was obvious that Osvwo was murdered because apart from the alarm that he raised concerning the state of his health and those of others, about which nothing was done, the deceased also collapsed in court necessitating the trial judge to order that he should be given medical treatment.
He said the judge’s order also was not heeded.
That was on February 21, 2012.
He said the strange illness that struck the suspects began on January 20, 2012 when their cell was sprayed with a strange substance.
He said all of them fell ill and despite complaints, the prison authorities did not pay attention to their ordeal.
He therefore appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to grant the accused bail so as to enable them get medical attention.
In the statement titled: Murder of a suspected October 1, 201o bomber in Kuje Prison, Keyamo said: “We are solicitors representing some of the Accused Persons FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA v. Charles Okah & others alleged of carrying out bombings during the October 1, 2010 Independence Day Celebrations in Abuja.
“On, Saturday March 3rd, 2012 one of the suspects in the case by the name, TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) died in the Kuje Prison.
“His death came on the heels of series of complaints by counsel representing him and his co-accused about the maltreatment meted out on the accused persons by the Nigerian Government in custody.
“The sickness leading to the death of TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) started when their cell was fumigated with a strange substance on the 8th of January, 2012, which affected the health of all the four suspects. Suffice it to reiterate that we, their solicitors, raised alarm about that development at the time.
“Prior to his death in custody, ‘Gbokos’ had been urinating and defecating on himself in the prison and despite pleas by his solicitors requesting that he be treated properly, no one attended to him.
“On the 21st of February, 2012 TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) collapsed in court which stalled hearing for that day but despite the order of the court on the day in question that TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO (ALIAS GENERAL GBOKOS) be medically attended to by the Prisons authorities, no medication was administered on him. It was obvious therefore that the authorities wanted him dead.
“May we for the upteenth time resound our alarm that other accused persons in the October 1, 2010 bombing still in Kuje Prisons are facing similar conditions that claimed the life of TIEMKENFA FRANCIS OSVWO.
“At this juncture, we are constrained to state that we find it extremely inequitable that virtually all the suspects linked to the Boko Haram bombings have been enjoying bail while our clients, the alleged masterminds of the October 1, 2010 bombings, (still presumed innocent) continue to suffer indignities in custody.
“We therefore, respectfully, call on all well-meaning Nigerians join in the call for their bail and the Nigerian Government to facilitate the release of the other suspects in custody with a view to attending to their deteriorating health before they die in custody.”