Ebonyi Bizman Denies Whereabouts Of Missing Apprentice

By Alex Odeh, Pan Afric Reporters

A businessman based in Amangwu–Nkpogoro, Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Mr. Christopher Ibe Akpu, has denied any knowledge of the whereabouts of one of his missing apprentices, 20-year-old Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna.

Speaking to journalists during an interview in Afikpo on Monday, Akpu insisted that if anyone had information about the missing apprentice, the appropriate person to contact was Uchenna’s aunt, Mrs. Ewa Angela, and not him.

Akpu, who described Onyebuchi as his apprentice, said he took him in out of sympathy, particularly because he was an orphan. According to him, the youth had spent close to eight years with him learning a trade.

However, Akpu alleged that Onyebuchi had previously attempted to abuse his sister-in-law’s male child. He said the incident was reported to Uchenna’s aunt, Ewa Angela, who urged him to have the matter handled by the police, adding that the Afikpo Divisional Police was aware of the report.

Narrating his account, Akpu said: “I took him when I knew he was an orphan to help him. When I took him, we lived together, and there was no problem. At a certain time, between 20 and 23, Uche committed an atrocity. Uche wanted to rape my sister-in-law’s son, a minor under 16 years. When Uche committed that offence, I reported the matter to his sister, Angela.

“What she told me was: why didn’t I lock him up in the cell? I told her I would not lock him in the cell. What I did was that I sent him back to their place and said I would no longer live with him. That, in turn, created serious issues between my wife and her sister. She withdrew her son. Up till today, her son hardly comes to our house because of that incident involving him and Uche.”

He added that, after repeated pleas from Ewa Angela, he forgave Onyebuchi and re-admitted him as an apprentice.

Akpu said: “When they pleaded, they said, ‘Daddy, you are our daddy.’ Angela also told me, ‘Daddy, you are the only person we have now; please forgive Uche, let him stay with you.’ So, out of sympathy, I said I would forgive him. Then I took him back to my house.”

The businessman further alleged that Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna also attempted to rape the daughter of his second wife, Chinagorom, accusing him of sexually harassing her.

Akpu said that when the family summoned Onyebuchi and Chinagorom, Chinagorom repeated what she told him in presence of her mum and her step mum, that Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna has been harassing her sexually and even attempted to rape her.

He said he was surprised when Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna was quried about the allegation, he admitted and said that he was interested in marrying Chinagorom, which according to him got him mad, and insisted he must leave his house finally.

“I said, Uche, why? Why? Why do you want to spoil my daughter? Do you want to marry my daughter? Uche said yes. I said, eh? Uche, are you getting mad? I asked him again. He said yes. I said, Uche, no, no, no. Something is wrong. I said, Uche, because of this, I forgive you for the other one, but now I will not forgive you again.

“You must go to your sister’s house. He parked all his belongings, and went to his sister’s house. That’s why he went to his sister’s house. Then I told him, when they came, the sister came, and tried to beg me again. I told them, I will not agree on this one.

He said due to his benevolence, despite that Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna was no longer living with him, he was still coming to his shop, adding that when he became sick, he paid for his treatment.

“At a certain time, he said that he is not well. I told my daughter, take him to the hospital, let them test him. Then he took him to Bethesda. After testing, which I paid 8,000 naira, they prescribed drugs for him which I bought 11,000 and gave to him.

He said it was when Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna refused to take the drugs given to him as prescribed by the doctors, that he asked his mother’s sister, Ewa Angela to take him to Abakaliki since she is a nurse, adding that he gave Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna 10,000 and his mother’s sister 50,000 to assist them.

He insisted that he knew nothing about Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna’s whereabouts, that his mother’s sister Ewa Angela was the one that took Onyebuchi to the hospital, since she said she was suspecting he has mental illness.

He exonerated himself from the accusation of his whereabouts, and said he told Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna’s aunt to always reach out to him if she needs any assistance.

Speaking earlier, Mrs. Ewa Angela, Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna’s aunt said when Onyebuchi was asked by his master not to come back, she was the one who sent her to his master’s house every morning and be apologize to him.

She said when his master refused to allow Onyebuchi to stay in his house, she told Onyebuchi not to go back there, but should stay with her in Abakaliki. She revealed that on 11th of March he came back from Afikpo after his master refused to accept his apology.

She recalled that in the early hours of 12th March that Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna started behaving strange and she took him to the hospital.

She said, “The boy came back on Wednesday, being 11th of this month. Then, in the early hour, around 4 a.m. on Thursday, that was 12th of this month, the boy called me and I answered around that 4 a.m. He asked me to take him to where he would buy food. I said by this time, 4 a.m. So I noticed that upstairs were not correct again. I started praying.

“Then, in the morning around 7 a.m., he said he is going with me as I was preparing to go to the hospital where I am working. He said he wants to go to the hospital and see a doctor.

“So when we arrived at Accidents and Emergencies, the doctor asked Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna to sit down. He aggressively said he is not sitting down. He asked Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna what is wrong with you? Uchenna Hamilton Onyebuchi said, Madam, don’t ask me that question again.

“He left that consulting room and stepped outside. So I was now discussing with the doctor and said what he has displayed and said, can you now know what to do to arrest this situation? The doctor said there is history. He has to follow up the history from A to Z. That it will take up to nine pages.

“So that was when I left and came outside to come and look for him. Since that 12th, around 11 a.m. till now, I have not seen Onyebuchi Harmeltin Uchenna. I have gone everywhere to search for him”, she lamented.