Evelyn Usman
19 July 2008
AS he walked into the Corporate headquarters of Vanguard Media Limited , Lagos, it was glaring that all was not well with this fellow, following his perturbed countenance embedded in what was later discovered to be fear of an imminent danger that could result in another catastrophe in his family, unless there was a quick intervention to stop a re-occurrence of the seeming impending danger.
For Mathew Ewansubor, as he later identified himself, this is certainly not the best of times for his entire family following what he described as 'threat to life of members of his family', back in Ekpoma, the University town of Edo state.
He traced his family's present agony back to October 2006, when his elder brother , Mr Paul Ewansubhor collected a loan of N500.000.00 from one Mr Justus Ogun, an indigene of Uromi in Edo state, with an accrued interest of N240.000.00, all totalling N740.000.00.
The incident that signalled the trouble ahead, as gathered, reared its ugly head two years later, when the money lender, in the company of the lawyer that was involved in the whole transaction and another unidentified fellow, reportedly stormed the Ewansubhor's family house in Uhumudumu , Ekpoma, with an intention to forcefully eject them out and lay claim to their property.
Passionate pleas from the perplexed members of the family, especially their 85-year-old mother, Mrs Comfort Ariobonose Ewansubhor that the matter be handled amicably, fell on deaf ears as the invaders allegedly threw everyone out including their helpless old mother, who was said to have in the process, hit her head on a hard object outside. Unfortunately, she reportedly gave up the ghost a month later as she could not bear the excruciating pains from the injury.
In this interview with crime guard, Matthew raised alarm stating that his mother's assailants who are walking the streets of Uromi as free men, are not only priding themselves as untouchables but are still threatening to cause more havoc to his already devastated and traumatised family.
Excerpts :
On June 3, 2008, the man that loaned my brother the sum of five hundred thousand naira, came in a saloon car in the company of four other men and parked in front of my elder brother's compound in Ihumudumu, the same compound they flung my mother out, which resulted in her hitting her head on a stone resulting to her death weeks later. Also with them was a lawyer who was introduced to my brother as the money lender.
They again knocked on the door and my cousin and niece opened but fortunately their father, that is my elder brother, was not at home. They came prepared for another catastrophe, as it is obvious they were not yet done with us. Why would they not let my family be? My mother has paid the price with her life. Why disturbing us. Our family members are presently living in fear because we do not know when they would strike again. Despite the fact that my elder brother, Paul Ewansubhor has paid part of the money, they are still laying claim to the property.
It all began on a friendly note when in October 11, 2006, one Peter Okharedia of number 11, Ubiaja road, Uromi , was introduced by a fellow Uromi man (name withheld) to write an agreement for a loan of N500,000.00 with accrued interest of N240.000.00 .
For the services rendered by the lawyer, my brother paid him the sum of N25.000.00. It was a verbal agreement and so far, the sum of N310.000.00 have been refunded in four installments out of the N740.000.00 borrowed. Even when my brother requested for the receipt of payment, he was assured that there was no problem and it was based on that trust that he gave them the money.
But to our surprise , the same man in the company of the person that loaned the money, visited my brother on January 17th, 2008 claiming they have bought our family house and denied that no payment was ever made to them. Trying to play smart, they asked my brother to produce the receipt of the payment to support his claim. They thereafter, directed that everyone should be thrown out of the house.
My 85-year-old mother was pushed from her bedroom to the sitting room, beaten and tortured like a mere child before she was thrown outside. While outside, she was on her knees pleading for help , they again pushed her backward, and she fell and hit her head on the floor leading to her death weeks later. . In spite of the fact that my poor old mother was writhing in pain on the floor, the property in the house were all thrown outside and at the end, the main door and exit were locked with padlocks. My beloved mother cried out that they should have pity on the little kids around who just came back from school and had not eaten but they ignored her. Worse still, the lawyer could not realise the illegality of their actions.
It only took the intervention of sympathisers who succeeded in pleading to them before they could open the locks and that was five hours after the invasion. But before my family members could pack their things inside, my mother's temperature had risen. She had enjoyed vibrant health until that fateful day. That night she was given medical treatment. The next morning being January 18th, 2008, she was in hospital but unfortunately she died on February 18 after series of medical complaints.
Before her death, my elder brother travelled to Uromi to meet with the perpetrators of that atrocity in the company of those that usually followed him for the installmental payment. They later accepted to have collected part- payment. Though my brother demande d that he be given a receipt, they refused. On January 31st, 2008, my elder brother took the sum of N100.000 to them and when they still refused to issue him receipt for the payment, he refused to make further payment.
Asked if he had reported the case to the Police, he responded, " I petitioned the Edo State Commissioner of Police after the death of my mother. Her assailants were arrested but were immediately let off the hook . They have fully demonstrated their earlier boast in this arrest. So far, the Lawyer has continued to dribble the police chiefs with obnoxious excuses by dictating to them when to honour appointment.
I even petitioned the Inspector General of Police where I told him of my intention to transfer the case to zone 5 , but in spite of the petition, they are still boasting that they are beyond the law of the land. I know I am indigent and this lawyer and his gang are influential , all I need is the assistance of the police and well- meaning Nigerians to help my family by ensuring that those behind my poor mother's death do not go scot free", he said, fighting hard not to betray his emotion.
Contacted on his GSM handset at 1.47pm last Thursday, the alleged person at the centre of controversy, told Crime Guard that the matter was already before the high court of justice. He also denied having any connection with the death of the 85-year-old woman as claimed, adding that the law enforcement agencies have also delved into the matter.
According to him, " An autopsy report was carried out on the said deceased by a police pathologist in Faith Clinic, Ekpoma and the report did not show she died as a result of what the family are claiming. The autopsy report showed that she was asthmatic, hypertensive and also had pneumonia .
She could have died as a result of neglect and lack of care by her children. On the day they said the house was invaded, I was not even there. They sold the house in question and later came to say the amount was too small that I should help them reclaim it. But I gave them a negative response saying it was against the ethics of my job. So why are they trying to make a mountain out of an mole hill?
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