"How my husband died in SARS cell" – Widow Tells Judicial Panel

Christina Nnatuanya has told the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on SARS in Awka, how her husband, Linus Nnatuanya died in SARS custody.

Christina said she found her husband in SARS cell six days after looking for him and was informed he was arrested by the police.

The widow disclosed that her husband was arrested at Ogbaru area of Anambra in January 2007 without a warrant.

According to her, Linus was arrested on the allegation that he was a member of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

She said the heat and stench in the cell was too much for her husband to bear as he was allergic to heat.

Christina further said she was asked to bring N400,000 for his release which she did not have.

She said she managed to raise N40,000 and on returning to the SARS cell, she was told her husband has been moved to Abuja.

The widow said she was informed about her husband’s death by one Ugochukwu Eze who was arrested alongside him.

“It was one man by the name Ugochukwu Eze from Ebonyi who was arrested with him that told me that my husband had died in SARS cell. Since then, all efforts to see him or his corpse have failed.