Leonard Kelechi Nwali, a Labour Party House of Assembly aspirant, Ezza North Constituency, Ebonyi, Southeast Nigeria has confessed to hiring thugs to beat up his closest contender, Peter Nweke of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Confirming the incident, the Ebonyi State Police Command, on Friday, announced the arrest of four persons over the murder of Nweke.
Nweke was beaten to death by miscreants suspected to be supporters of a rival party on March 18, 2023, the day of the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections in the state.
The PDP ward chairman was killed at Umuezeokaoha community, in the Ezza North Local Government Area of the state while working as his party’s agent in the area.
The state police command, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, SP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said the suspects confessed to the crime.
“During the interrogation of the suspects, the first suspect, Leonard Kelechi Nwali, a Labour Party House of Assembly aspirant, Ezza North Constituency, confessed to hiring the assailants who were meant to torture the late Peter Nweke,” the statement read in part.
“However, he died in the process. According to him, the late Peter Nweke posed a threat to his political ambition, so he contacted one Akwasi of Umuezeoka, in Ezza North LGA, who spearheaded the torture that eventually resulted in the death of Mr Peter Nweke.
“The second suspect, Onyebuchi Chita, of Nkomoro community, in the same local government area, confessed to have brought in the killers from Nkomoro into Ogboji community, where Peter Nweke was killed.
“The third suspect, Aloke Obinna, of Ogboji community, confessed to have given his motorcycle to one Onyebuchi Chita for escape after the incident.
“While Ifeanyi Nwokpuku, the fourth suspect, of Ogboji community in Ezza North LGA, conspired with one Sampson Nweke, who pointed Peter Nweke out to the killers.”
Onovwakpoyeya said the suspects would be charged to court after investigations have been concluded.