The Imo State Police Command has announced the arrest of a 64-year-old legal practitioner, Barrister Donald Mbamah. He is accused of allegedly shooting and killing 16-year-old Paul Victor, a student of Urban Development Secondary School, Owerri.
In a statement released to journalists in Owerri on Friday, the Imo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Henry Okoye, confirmed the arrest and ongoing investigation into the tragic incident.
According to eyewitness reports, the incident occurred on Monday, March 17, 2025, when the victim reportedly jumped over the fence into the suspect’s compound to retrieve a football. He was allegedly shot in the buttocks and later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Providing details of the case, the police command stated: “The Imo State Police Command has arrested Barrister Donald Mbamah, a 64-year-old man, in connection with the shooting of 16-year-old student, Paul Victor, on March 17, 2025. The incident occurred at approximately 12:34 PM at Mbamah’s residence located at Area N, World Bank, New-Owerri. The victim, a student of Urban Development Secondary School, was allegedly shot in the buttocks under circumstances that are still under investigation.”
Police operatives from the New Owerri Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), responded swiftly to a distress call from a concerned neighbour who heard the gunshot. Officers arrived at the scene, arrested the suspect, and transported the victim to General Hospital, Umuguma, where he was pronounced dead on March 20, 2025.
The police further disclosed: “Following the incident, Barrister Donald Mbamah was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for questioning. A thorough investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to recover the firearm allegedly used in the shooting. Photographs were taken at the crime scene as part of the investigation.”
Expressing condolences to the victim’s family, the Imo State Police Command assured the public that justice would be served. “The suspect will be arraigned in court once investigations are completed and sufficient evidence is gathered,” the statement read.
The police also urged the public to remain calm and allow the legal process to take its course. “The Command calls on the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and allow the police and relevant authorities to handle the matter through legal means.”
