The Anambra State Police security operatives 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.
Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in which he stated that the commissioner of police in the state, Aderemi Adeoye, ordered the investigation.
It would be recalled that the Enugu-born actor was confirmed dead on Wednesday night after several attempts to resuscitate him failed.
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The actor alongside other crew members drowned in the River Niger area on their way back from the set of Another Side of Life, a movie produced by Adanma Luke.
Speaking about the actor’s passing, 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.
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There were speculations from Junior Pope’s fans shortly after his death 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.
