The Imo State Police Command has commenced investigation into the killing of an ex-Chairman of the Owerri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ndionyenma Nwankwo.

Nwankwo was found dead in his chamber located at No. 43 School Road, Owerri, on Saturday, with deep machete cuts.

The police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, told our correspondent that the command had commenced investigation into the killing of the lawyer.

Our correspondent learnt that in trying to apprehend the killers, detectives from the State Criminal and Investigation Department invited the younger lawyers as well as the secretary in Nwankwo’s chamber for questioning.

A source told our correspondent that while the lawyers honoured the police invitation and made statements, the secretary had yet to show up.

The source said the secretary stated that her inability to honour the police invitation was because she had no money for transportation.

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Our correspondent also gathered that the police detained the man who recommended the driver to the slain lawyer.

The source said, “I’m just coming back from state CID, where the matter is being investigated. The driver is at large. He is being suspected as the person, who fled with Nwankwo’s car and phone. The driver’s phone is switched off, but the young man, who recommended him to Nwankwo, is with the police.

“Nwankwo’s secretary is reluctant to come to the police for her statement. Her reason is that she has no money for transport.

“Meanwhile, every lawyer in Nwankwo’s office has made statements to the police.

“They all stated how not contented the driver had been and how a couple of days before Nwankwo’s killing, he brought a machete to the office, which is now being suspected to be the object by which the lawyer was butchered.”