By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
News of a police officer throwing a burning stove on a lady sent jitters down the spines of Rivers citizens last month. According to the story, the erring police officer, Eze Akpoelu, an inspector by rank, had been making love advances to the lady, Jane Amos, who kept turning them down.
Perhaps overwhelmed by his lust for Jane, Akpoelu refused to give up. He didn’t want to concede defeat. Then, a day came. He made another love advance to Jane and as usual, she turned it down. Akpoelu couldn’t take it anymore. He lost control and started threatening Jane. Unable to still cow her into submission, Police Inspector Eze Akpoelu finally threw caution to the winds, threw Jane’s pot of food from off her stove, jerked the burning stove and threw it on her, giving the poor lady severe burns in the process. She was later rushed to hospital while Akpoelu was apprehended.
Now, one month after her ordeal, Jane has finally been discharged from hospital. As she hopefully continues to recuperate, one thing is very clear: the scars are hers to bear for life. But what she must not be made to bear in addition to her scars is injustice. And the authorities should ensure that this does not happen. They should make sure that she gets justice. And justice, in this case, entails getting Inspector Eze Akpoelu prosecuted in a competent court of jurisdiction.
It is worrisome to hear that pressure is being mounted on Jane to drop the case. She revealed this to a Port Harcourt-based radio station which aired the news on Monday, 21st February, 2022. She was also heard saying that she needs justice.
It is important to point out that justice for Jane in this case will be deemed as justice for all victims of brutality, harassment, intimidation, attempted murder and other forms of injustice, especially the women folk.
Authorities of the Nigerian Police Force, particularly the RIvers State Police Command, the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA), Civil Society Organizations and human rights groups should all work together to ensure that Jane Amos gets justice.
They should see to it that her attacker, Inspector Eze Akpoelu, faces the full weight of the law. His punishment will serve as a deterrent to other elements who think they can hurt their fellow human beings and get away with it. Those who think they are above the law, should be made to understand that they are not, irrespective of who and what they are.
Whether one is a police officer, a military or paramilitary officer, a bloody civilian, a vigilante, a politician, a government official, a traditional ruler, a pastor, an imam, a professional, a non-professional, a market woman, a student, a teacher, a youth leader or a community leader, everybody should be made to know that he is under the law. Everybody should be made to know that if he violates the law, he will face the law. This is why Inspector Eze Akpoelu must not go free. There is a Hindu word known as Karma. It is the concept that every cause produces effect. Some call it the law of retributive justice. This law is natural and real. It is nature’s watchdog that monitors, records and rewards everyone’s action. If you perpetrate or sow good action, this law-this natural force- rewards you with good effect. If you perpetrate or sow bad action, it also ensures you get a bad reward for your bad action. This is why it is also called the law of sowing and reaping.
Those who introduced the penal system of judicial administration knew about this law. Our forefathers also knew about it. That was why in those days, when somebody commits an offence deemed a desecration of the land, he would be made to appease the land. By doing that, nature is appeased because the land represents nature. This law of sowing and reaping is captured in the bible, in Genesis 8:22, Mathew 26:52, 2Cor 5:10 and Gal 6:7.
Inspector Eze Akpoelu, by
his action, he has desecrated the land of Rivers State. Making him face the punishment for his action is one way by which he will appease the land. So, those mounting pressure on Inspector Akpoelu’s victim, Jane Amos, to withdraw the case, are not helping Inspector Eze Akpoelu. Rather, they are compounding his problem and creating one for themselves. For if they succeed in forcing Jane Amos to withdraw the case to give Inspector Eze Akpoelu a soft landing, they will share from the inevitable natural effects of Inspector Eze Akpoelu’s bad action.
It is called group karma. This is another reason why justice should be allowed to take its course.
