The Judicial Magistrate 1st Class, Kangpokpi on Monday remanded deputy kilonser of NSCN (I-M), Moses Gonmei, in 25-day judicial custody in connection with the mysterious murder case of Ak Nonganba.
The body of Nonganba was found near Changoubung village, beside west of NH-2 in Kangpokpi district on February 12 afternoon. Nonganba is the son of former minister (L) Ak Lanngam of Kwakeithel, Imphal West.
As per police report, the deceased was suspected to have succumbed to his grievous injuries after being brutally attacked with hard objects by some unknown persons and hence, a suo-moto case was registered at Kangpokpi police station.
During the investigation of the case by an SIT, Moses was arrested on February 13 from his residence in Senapati district and subsequently, another accused identified as Thokchom Sonia of Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai, Imphal West was arrested on February 17.
However, another prime suspect of the case, Stephen Dangmei, who is suspected to be the superior of Moses is still at large.
The two accused persons have been in police custody since their arrest. Following the completion of the police custody term, Moses was produced before the court with a prayer to remand him in judicial custody for further investigation of the case.
The police custody term of the other arrested accused (Sonia) will end on Tuesday.
According to a police report, Moses joined NSCN (I-M) in September 1998 and underwent training at Buning Camp in Tamenglong district and passed out in January 1999. He served as the post of OSD in civil administration, Leacy and Tatar of Nungba town area. Till his arrest, he served as the deputy kilonser of Nungba town area, it stated.
While submitting the remand prayer, the IO also stated that hectic efforts were made to arrest Stephen and his associates and assured to submit a charge sheet against Moses at the earliest.
As many as 12 incriminating samples collected from the crime scene were also produced before the magistrate.
Meanwhile, the JAC against the brutal killing of Ak Nonganba thronged the gate of the court complex, demanding exemplary punishment against the culprits involved in the killing. However, police prevented the agitators from entering the court complex.
Postmortem of the deceased’s body was conducted at RIMS on February 16, however, the body is still deposited at the morgue as family members refused to claim the body.
In another instance, the mother of the deceased, Ak ongbi Shantibala, who has been on fast since February 12, had written an open letter to general secretary of NSCN (I-M) Th Muivah seeking his intervention to hand over the accused, Stephen Dangmei, who is believed to be in Camp Hebron to police to face trial under the law of land.
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