By Frank Ulom
The 10th Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem has promised the family of late Mrs Martina Okey Itagbor, a woman killed over alleged witchcraft, justice.
Rt. Hon. Ayambem made this known via a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Mathew Okache on Sunday (July 2).
According to the statement, Ayambem said that citizens who engage in such activities are promoters of jungle justice, which will not be allowed to take root in the state.
The Speaker stressed that “the perpetrators would be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others”.
He warned citizens not to take the laws into their own hands.
He further appealed to all relevant authorities to be proactive in tackling the situation so as to curtail the activities of people taking laws into their hands, which will further create lawlessness in society.
CONVERSEER earlier reported that Mrs Itagbor was accused of witchcraft and burnt to death on June 18, 2023, by irate youths of Old Netim in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the State, who later swept her ashes into the gutter and washed it away, after chopping off her fingers and vandalising her properties.
So far, 14 persons have been fingered for the killing of Itagbor, they are Christopher Sunday Mbey (Leader), Festus Etim Umoh (Dep. Leader), Emem Etim Umoh, Enearokot Omonga Peter, Stephen aka Pompori, Obaji and Destiny Ime Brown.
Others are Joseph Omonga Orok, Eyu Adogo, Louis Bassey Peter, Orok Okon Orok, Mesembe Anembe, Malachi Sylvanus and Thelfa Okon Nyong.