The police in Anambra State have begun an investigation to uncover any criminal liability in the cause of death of actor Junior Pope and other crew members who died in a boat accident.
The police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in which he stated that the commissioner of police in the state, Aderemi Adeoye, ordered the investigation.
Junior Pope and three other crew members drowned after a boat accident while returning from a movie location in Anambra State on Wednesday but some of his colleagues claimed he was still alive, leaving many hopeful.
But the joy was, however, short-lived after the actor was later confirmed dead, hours after.
The police spokesperson said their preliminary inquiry into the incident had given them “an insight” into the cause of the boat accident but did not give details.
“Exhaustive investigation has been ordered by the Commissioner of Police with a view to determining criminal liability of any person, if any, in the mishap,” he said.
There were speculations from Junior Pope’s fans shortly after his death became public that some of his “jealous” colleagues might have played a role in his death.
Some supporters of the deceased actor claimed that his colleagues at the scene took him to a mortuary after his body was discovered, instead of first seeking medical attention for him.
Reacting, Mr Ikenga said the police in Anambra State would determine in their investigation if anybody played a role in the boat accident and its aftermath.
Mr Ikenga said when the police were notified of the boat accident, some marine police operatives were deployed to the area and subsequently rescued six actors and one actress from the water.
“Two others who were unconscious were also pulled out with the aid of fishermen and conveyed to the Delta State Command Marine Police Jetty where other members of the crew who travelled in the first boat were waiting and handed over to the president of the Actors Guild for conveyance to the hospital while the rescue team went back in search of three others who are still missing as of the time of this release,” he said.
The police spokesperson said although the accident happened within their jurisdiction in Anambra, the release of the bodies of the accident victims for burial is to be handled by the police in Delta State.
