A 47-year-old man, Anthony Onyeukwu, has been ordered into remand by the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Enugu East over the alleged killing of his 11-year-old houseboy, Goodluck John.
This development was announced by Enugu State’s Commissioner of Gender, Ngozi Enih, who emphasized in a Sunday statement that the state is making concerted efforts to address and reduce child abuse.
Enih explained that Onyeukwu’s arrest was made possible through a tip-off received via the ministry’s whistleblower channels.
The information suggested that Goodluck’s death had occurred due to abusive conditions within Onyeukwu’s household, where the young boy resided.
According to Enih, Onyeukwu allegedly buried Goodluck in Abia State without informing any authorities of the death, attributing it to an illness supposedly treated at Park Lane Hospital in Enugu.
However, upon investigation, the hospital’s records were found to be at odds with Onyeukwu’s claim, with no documentation to support the boy’s admission or deposition of his body at the facility.
The Commissioner’s statement further detailed that when Onyeukwu was arraigned last week, Police Prosecutor Inspector Calista Ifeanyi argued that his alleged actions violate Enugu State’s Revised Criminal Code.
Inspector Ifeanyi stressed that this case underlines Enugu’s “commitment to protecting children’s rights and preventing abuse, as outlined in the Child’s Rights and Responsibility Law of 2016.”
The formal charge sheet, registered under CME/631C/2024, read, “That you, Onyeukwu Anthony, ‘m’ on 15th day of October 2024, at about 20:30 hours at No. 4, Mike Onyeka Close, Loma Linda Extension, Maryland, Enugu, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did unlawfully kill one Goodluck John ‘m’ aged 11 years and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 274 (1) of the Criminal Code, CAP 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.”
Following this, the Chief Magistrate ordered Onyeukwu’s remand at the Enugu Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to November 20, 2024.
By that date, the court expects to receive a report from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, Enugu, as investigations continue into the tragic incident.
