Cordelia Okonye, the mother of murdered 21 year-old Nigeria girl, Augusta Onuwabhagbe Osedion, has revealed and exposed the Sierra Leone Immigration Department of complicity in crime as it allegedly issued the murderer a Sierra Leone passport, 15 days after the incident.
This came after the Sierra Leone Police said in a press statement that it has arrested the suspect known as Nnanyereugo Benjamin who was on the run and also wanted by the Nigerian Police for murder.
In the latest details of the murder drama under investigation, Madam Okone’s exposure of the immigration department has cast a shadow of doubt as to the security and integrity implications of Sierra Leone.
In the latest twist, the Immigration Department is allegedly accused of receiving US$25,000 to prepare and issue the Sierra Leonean Passport to the Nigeran national. There is yet an official statement confirming this from Gloucester Street in Freetown over the allegation but sources close to OWL Newspaper said that the matter could not be unconnected with the truth as frantic efforts were being applied by the suspect’s aides at the Immigration Department to get him access to the passport.
Our sources further said that the police and the ACC must mount heavy investigations within the department to nab those connected with the operation and issuing of the passport to the suspect. Aside the spending US$25,000 in purchasing the Sierra Leonean passport, the suspect also changed his name from Nnanyereugo Benjamin to Princeton Samuel Kanu who now holds a Sierra Leonean passport No. SLR 050905, issued on July 28th 2023 in Freetown, 15 days after the alleged killing. See details of passport below:
The development is also alleged to be connected with the former Chief immigration officer of Sierra Leone Jaia Kaikai under whose administration from 2018 to 2023 served as CIO and the passport was issued under the time. It is not clear if Mr. Kaikai had a bite in the US$25,000 issued hurriedly to get the Nigerian a new identity that would save him from the crime. See our next publication for details…..
