Police speak on burial of Junior Pope by riverside

The police in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria, have spoken on the reported burial of deceased Nollywood actor, Junior Pope, by a riverside.

ASIWAJU MEDIA earlier reported how Mr Odonwodo, popularly known as Junior Pope and four other actors drowned after their boat capsized in Anam River in Anambra State last Wednesday while returning from a movie shoot.

There had been speculations that Mr Odonwodo was buried by the riverside and later exhumed after pressure on authorities.

Police speak

But reacting in a statement on Sunday, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, refuted the speculations.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said contrary to the speculations, the late actor was neither buried nor exhumed, but that his body was still at a mortuary in the state.

The police spokesperson, however, said families of three other deceased Nollywood stars accepted that the victims should be buried beside the river.

“But later, the family of one of the victims decided to exhume the body to be given a proper burial in her state while the other two were still buried there,” he said.

“Also, Junior Pope and one other are still in the morgue and awaiting the deceased family’s funeral arrangements.”

Film producer under probe

Mr Ikenga added that the police in the state have since obtained statements from the producer of the ill-fated movie, Adanma Luke, and two drivers of the boat as part of investigation into the incident as ordered by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Aderemi Adeoye.

“This is to determine the criminal liability of any person, if any, in the mishap,” he said of the investigation.

The police spokesperson assured Nigerians that the police will not compromise in the investigation.

NEWS CREDIT: PREMIUM TIMES