Captain of both the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Bolton Wanderers Football Club of England, Austin �Jay Jay� Okocha, narrowly missed the justice of the Okija Shrine based on his prompt decision to report an invitation extended to him to the Police.
Okocha reported a Lagos-based businessman, Mr. Leonard Analikwu, who was owing him (Okocha) and had lodged a report at the shrine following his (Analikwu�s) failure to pay the money.
Analikwu, 43, Managing Director of Small Boy Nigeria Ltd., who was owing Okocha 20,000 Deutchmarks and 25,000 Euros took the case to the dreaded Okija Shrine in order to ease the pressure mounted on him by Okocha to pay back the loan he got from the footballer in 1998.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that Analikwu reported Okocha to the Ogwugwu Akpu-Ubahu Ezike otherwise known as Okija Shrine based on the footballer�s decision to intimate the police of his refusal to pay the loan.
Okocha�s decision to inform the police, it was learnt, was based on reports that reached him on the continuous visit to the Ogwugwu Akpu Shrine by Analikwu who was alleged to have had sinister motives.
Okocha promptly informed his lawyer, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), of the development.
Tarfa then forwarded a petition dated August 5, 2004 and signed by the head of his chambers, Mr. John Odubela, to the Deputy Inspector-General, Operations, Force headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo, calling for the investigation of Analikwu, an indigene of Abagana, Anambra State.
Based on this, Analikwu, was arrested.
It was learnt that he has made useful confessional statements to the police.
It was learnt that Analikwu confirmed to the police that Okocha was invited to appear before the priests of the shrine on August 25, 2003 at 9 am �for a peaceful settlement of this matter� via a letter dated August 15, 2003.
The letter, which was addressed to Mr. Friday Nwankwo-Kujah, who was mandated by Okocha to collect the debt on his behalf, was signed by one Ezike Ogbudaa.
Okocha had in a July 7, 2003 letter to Analikwu, whose address was said to be 42, Adedoyin Road, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos, said he had appointed Nwankwo-Kujah to collect the money on his behalf.
It was based on this that the invitation to Okocha was addressed to Nwankwo-Kujah.
But Okocha reportedly declined the invitation.
He rather opted to pursue the case he had earlier reported to the police.
In his response to a questionnaire dated August 15, 2003 sent to him by the Criminal Investigation Department, Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, which was then investigating the allegation of obtaining by false pretence against Analikwu, Okocha confirmed the debt owed to him by Analikwu.
The response, which was handwritten and addressed to Mr. Sam Okoeguale, read, �I am very pleased to answer the questions that you send to me by fax.
�(1) I gave Mr. Leonard Analikwu DM 20,000 in 1998.
�(2) He said that he will be paying me N250,000 back every year as interest of the DM 20,000 that I gave him.
�(3) He has paid N650,000 back to my knowledge
�(4) My balance is N600,000 and the N20,000 Deutchmark.
�(5) I can�t say now what the currency rate was then because it has been five years now.
�(6) The money was given to him in Paris, France where he came and ask for my assistance.
Thanks for your cooperation.�
In an addition to the letter, Okocha requested the police to �please ask him if I did wrong in trying to help him. Thanks.�
Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 2, Mr. Monday Agbonika, confirmed the arrest of Leonard in an interview with our correspondent.
Agbonika, however, said that Leonard was handed over to the Anambra State Police Command on Tuesday.
He said that the case was being handled by the police in Anambra State.
The police recently discovered about 50 human skulls, 20 decomposing bodies at the Okija Shrine while 32 priests from the shrine had been arrested in connection with the activities.
