Movie producer Adanma Luke has debunked an allegation that she abandoned the family of Junior Pope and others who died in a boat accident.
Adanma was accused of neglecting their call for help to provide funds for burial and welfare but the filmmaker refuted the claims in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
The mother of one said she has been working with her team to ensure the corpses are returned home for proper burial and she also assisted the police in their investigations.
She wrote: “It has become necessary for me to make a statement because of the false allegations being made against me. Since the tragic loss of Junior Pope, Abigail, Precious, Friday and Olanti, my team and I have been actively collaborating with the families to provide all necessary funds as requested, from the gravediggers to the divers and fuel for the police officers involved in the search for the bodies.This also includes expenses for caskets, ambulances, and additional funds to cover other related costs.
“Each crew member’s family received agreed amounts, and some decided to have their loved ones buried by the waterside as they believe that those who die by drowning should be laid to rest near water.This ritual involved invoking the spirit into a casket lined with a plantain leaf, which was then sent to the family for burial. I have video evidence of their agreement to these arrangements.
“Additionally, my team and I arranged the departure of the ambulance from Asaba to the homes of Precious and Friday. As a result of this, my team and I will be sharing details and video proof of everything that has happened since this tragedy. In this time of huge loss and mourning for these families, the allegations that I have not taken any action are complete lies. My team and I remain in communication with the police and members of the families who have lost their loved ones.”
Junior Pope was confirmed dead on the night of April 10 after several attempts to resuscitate him failed. The actor alongside make-up artist Abigail Frederick, and the production crew; Friday, Olanti and Precious drowned in Anam River on their way back from the set of Another Side of Life, a movie produced by Adanma Luke.
