Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Tonye Harry yesterday denied having any links with cult groups or nursed plans of eliminating late Dr. Marshall Harry, as alleged by Harry’s son Inye.
Besides, the speaker also insisted on the play of the video compact disc tendered by the fourth son of the slain politician linking him with cult activities, at the public sitting of the State Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Port Harcourt.
Hon. Harry, who expressed embarrassment over Inye’s testimony alleging that he colluded with his father’s killers. said Inye has not confronted him with the matter even after he claimed to have been privy to such information.
For him, Inye was exploiting the opportunity given him by the commission and, “he is planting his own seed of discord”.
Contrary to the testimony of Inye that he, Hon. Harry, did not participate in the burial rites of Dr. Harry, the speaker claimed that apart from participating in the burial, his house was also used as reception point for visitors.
Extricating himself from having links with cult groups, Hon. Harry observed, “sometime last year, a list of politicians suspected of sponsoring cult groups was made public; my name was not mentioned and I was not connected to any group”.
Debunking the claim that he sponsored the kidnapping of Omehia’s mother last year, the Rivers Assembly speaker explained that though, he played no role in the release of Cecilia Omehia, one of the arrested cultists was used as an exchange to release the aged woman, adding that a police report is available in that regard.
However, a brief break of the speaker’s testimony ensued when disagreement arose as to whether to publicly view the video tendered by Inye last week.
After taking comments from the counsels, Justice Kayode Eso ruled that the video be viewed in camera.
It was after the video was viewed that the speaker was asked to alight from the dock.
Meanwhile, the Paramount Ruler of Obuama community in Degema Local Government Area, Chief Ombo Dick Harry has described the allegations made by Inye Harry against the duo of Tonye Harry and Ipalibo Harry on the murder of late Marshall Harry as politically motivated.
Chief Dick Harry, who testified on behalf of the community before the commission yesterday, said they were distressed over the allegations made by Dr. Harry’s fourth son on their ‘illustrious sons’.
The traditional ruler alleged that Inye was being used to discredit both Tonye and Ipalibo, recalling that the community had on hearing of the death of Dr. Harry put a prize tag of N5 million on the assassins.
Chief Harry revealed that in the meeting, all stakeholders agreed to the decision including Inye Harry and wondered why five years later, he would come out to make disheartening remarks on his kinsmen.
“We confirmed that when Inye Marshall Harry was confronted … he told the meeting that he was not happy with Ipalibo and Tonye, that since they had been brought to limelight by his father, they both should have done something for the family,” Chief Harry declared.
He further stated that investigations have revealed that both Ipalibo and Tonye had done much to assist the family, noting that the community was pained by Inye’s blackmail tactics.
