Almost one year after Miss Cynthia Osokogu, was killed by
friends she met on a social network, Facebook, her family
still remembers everything about the care and love they once
cherished. Her father, Gen. Frank Osokogu, (retd.) as a soldier
is not one given to emotions, but he could not but speak
fondly of his only beloved daughter who was snatched away
from him in the most brutal manner. When our
correspondent called at the home of the Osokogus
penultimate Monday, in Jos, Plateau State, Cynthia’s parents
were not at home our correspondent was at a loss how to
speak to Osokogu on phone and what his reaction would be,
knowing that it could amount to reopening old wounds. He
picked the phone on the first dial and having known who the
caller was, said, “Oh yeah, I remember you. You spoke to me
when the incident happened.” One would have thought that
he would cut the conversation at that stage, but when asked
how he felt the prosecution against the suspect was going.
He was frank as his name suggests. “Well I am not a lawyer,
but I feel that the case is going on fine even though there was
a little hiccup at the beginning. Initially it was being
prosecuted at the Magistrates’ Court and there was a little
delay, especially in putting up the papers, gathering all the
evidence, but when case was taken to the high court, there
was a change. “However, when the case was first mentioned
at the high court, the judges had a conference shortly after.
And there was a slight delay. All I will say is that it is at the
disposition of the court. That is not my responsibility. We
have done the best we can. “The other ones are judicial
process which you cannot force. Most judges adjourn for
sometimes more than one month. Don’t forget that murder
cases sometimes take a long time to resolve. Even civil matters
sometimes take up to three four years to resolve. When you
talk of representation, I think the case is being taken at the
highest level. Now it’s being handled by the Attorney General
of Lagos state. “My family has two lawyers and the police also
have their own lawyers. I am sure that now that it has gone to
the appropriate court, the trial is going to be faster. I don’t
know, I am not a lawyer, I will ask my lawyers again. May be
when they see your publication, they may equally react to it.”
However getting the retired general to talk about his daughter
was not easy. When asked what he missed most about his
daughter, especially given the circumstances under which he
died, he said, “Well these are sentimental questions and I
don’t usually discuss sentiments. But definitely she was my
daughter, and so I miss everything, everything about my
daughter, especially the circumstances the whole thing
happened. But we have had problems, especially in winding
up the business she was running before she died. But that is
okay and that’s all I want to say for now.”
If the retired general was a bit keen to talk about his late
daughter, his wife was clearly reticent. When our reporter
called her up for an interview, she blurted, “Please if it is
about Cynthia, I don’t want to say anything. I have said
enough and I don’t want to say anything about her please.
Thank you.”
Cynthia was murdered on July 22, 2012 by friends who
allegedly lured her to Lagos from Nasarawa State where she
was undergoing a Masters degree programme and killed her
at Cosmilla Hotel, Lakeview Estate, FESTAC Town, Lagos
Hotel.
Four men, Okwumo Nwabufo, 33; Olisaeloka Ezike, 23, Orji
Osita, 33; and Nonso Ezike, are standing trial over the
incident. Nwabufo and Ezike are facing charges of conspiracy
to commit murder and murder of Cynthia.
Osita, who is the pharmacist, is charged with selling Rohypnol
Flunitrazepan tablets to drug the deceased while Nonso, who
is Olisaeloka’s brother, is charged with being in possession
Cynthia’s Blackberry Bold 5 cell-phone.
Culled from Punch
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