101-yr-old man released from Enugu prison, hospitalised

Moses Oyediran, Enugu

A 101-year-old man, Pa Celestine Egboluche, who has been in prison custody since 2000, was on Thursday released and immediately taken into a hospital in Enugu.

The Centenarian, who was jailed alongside his only son, Paul Egboluche, 41, regained his freedom from Enugu maximum prison following a state pardon by the former Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. His son, however, was not included in the pardon.

Pa Celestine, from Amachalla-Owerri, Akokwa, Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State, was however, rushed to an Enugu based hospital – St Daniel – by a non-governmental organisation, Global Society for Anti-Corruptoon, GSAC, which championed his pardon from prison.

His pardon was made possible because of deteriorating health.

It was gathered that the centenarian, who was hospitalised shortly after his release, will have to suffer another trauma because his house in the village was demolished by those who accused him and his son of allegedly plotting the kidnap and the killing of one of their relations, Cyril Igbokwe.

Regional director, GSAC, South East and South South, Mrs. Amaka Nweke, has pleaded with governments, organisations and good spirited Nigerians to come to the aid of the dying centenarian so that he would be rehabilitated.

Nweke also pleaded that his only son should also be granted pardon to look after his father.

“We are grateful to God and the government for granting his release from prison. We are however appealing to all and sundry to come to the aid of the old man so that he would be rehabilitated because his house in the village was demolished by the villagers.

“We also appeal that his son who was imprisoned along with him should be released to attend to his ailing father, “Nweke pleaded.

Pleading the innocence of her father and brother in the supposed crime for which they were incarcerated, the only surviving daughter of Pa Celestine, Miss Chisom Celestine, 31, thanked all that helped to see to the release of her father but pleaded that her brother too, be released.

She narrated how her father and brother were accused of conspiring to kill her uncle, Cyril Igbokwe, taken to the police, convicted and incarcerated.

“One of the many servants that served my uncle, Cyril Igbokwe, Joseph Okoro, suddenly became mad. Everybody marvelled.

“My brother, Paul, asked him what happened, how come the boy under his care suddenly became mad but Cyril started boasting that he would make everybody – my father, mother, brother mad if they made noise.

“My brother, Paul, came down from Port Harcourt and reported the matter to our kinsmen but nobody listened to him but sided with my uncle because he was rich and was buying them drinks.

“Later, Uncle Cyril died mysteriously and they conspired and said that my father killed his brother and took him to police.

“One of them boasted that my father and brother would never return alive.

“They did not do anything and I beg that my brother will also be released. I am the only surviving daughter, ” Chisom pleaded.

Pa Celestine was arrested in 2000 and was sentenced to death in 2004 and ever since was in prison with his son, Paul, until he was eventually released on Thursday.