A rights group, the Civil Rights Realization and Advancement Network (CRRAN) has raised alarm over the arraignment of seven years old pupil of Carmelite Nursery and Primary School, Enugu, Chibuike Miracle Oramaelu for alleged murder, by the Police in the state. Chibuike, who was arraigned yesterday alongside 58 years old Edwin Offorma was two weeks ago released from police custody after spending over a month.

It would be recalled that Chibuike was arrested and detained by Police on 29th day of May 2016 after he allegedly shot and killed the child of their neighbor at their residence No.5/7, Robito Crescent, Independence Layout, using Offorma’s gun. Chibuike was coerced into cleaning Offorma’s room, when his mother, who was an employee of Offorma had gone to church. He was said to have stumbled on a loaded gun, which he mistakenly fired and killed the son of their neighbor, Oluebube.

Although Chibuike was earlier released on bail, the case however took another dimension yesterday morning, when the Police called his mother Mrs. Nwakaego Oramalu to bring him to the Police
Headquarters, Enugu. Mrs. Oramalu went there with Chibuiike and Police proceeded to Magistrates’ Court with Chibuike and Edwin Oforma, the owner of the gun who had earlier reported to the Police. 
At the Magistrates’ Court, Police filed a Charge of Conspiracy and murder against Chibuike and Edwin Oforma. Oforma was also charged with unlawful possession of a Zebra English made double barrel gun.

Presiding Magistrate, Hillary Asogwa, after listening to submission of their counsel, Olu Omotayo, agreed that the boy was incapable of committing the crime and as such should not be remanded in prison custody. He therefore released Chibuike on bond to the mother but went ahead to remand Mr. Edwin Oforma in
prison for murder and unlawful possession of the illegal gun.

Meanwhile the CRRAN yesterday in a statement by Omotayo saluted the courage and wisdom of His Magistrate Asogwa, even as it described the arraignment of Chibuike for murder by the Police as “A mockery and abuse of administration of justice in this country” The group said: “The question is why are the officers handling this matter, bent on sending the boy to prison by whatever means? The Police Service Commission has to live up to
its responsibility and save the Nigeria Police and the country in general from this type of embarrassment. “We also appeal to kind hearted Nigerians to help the mother of Chibuike whose house cleaning job has been terminated by this incident and has also lost the benefit of the accommodation given
to her by her former employer.

We also appeal to kind hearted Nigerians to assist the family of Ukwa
 Boniface with funds to pay for the post mortem as requested by the Police and the burial of their 12 year old son, Oluebube Boniface, who died in the incident. The deceased was also a primary school pupil, whose father is a poor commercial tricycle operator”.