The claim that Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State detained and treated his wife Clara as a slave is not true, according to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Disclosing its findings during its investigative visit to Enugu, NHRC confirmed Governor Chime’s earlier claim that his wife has mental health issues and that the restriction of her movement was for her good and based on medical advice. The commission said it had established that she was suffering from depression and hallucination and had lost confidence in the medical expert currently handling her case.

NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Ben Angwe, who personally led a team of investigators to Enugu to verify the true position of things, told newsmen yesterday in Abuja: “The investigating team held a five-hour meeting with Governor Chime, Mrs. Chime, Dr. Jide Chime (the governor’s sibling), Dr. Aham Agumoh (who has been treating Mrs. Chime) and Tony Igwe (the complainant’s elder brother), during which the complainant had an opportunity to state her case and also respond to the issues raised by her husband.

“Dr. A. Uzegu, a London-based consultant psychiatrist and forensic examiner, who is the doctor the complainant prefers, also joined the meeting through teleconference.

“We have confirmed that in the last two weeks, Mrs. Chime has been confined to her apartment on medical advice for purposes of medical maintenance and security.

“Both parties have agreed that Mrs. Chime has medical challenges, but have disagreement over how to handle her medical condition. The complainant told the commission that she has lost confidence in the physician presently handling her condition and no longer wants him to treat her.

“She further requested to have medical opinion of other medical doctors acceptable to her. Both parties have agreed that the commission should assemble a team of independent medical experts to review her condition and advice on further steps to be taken in respect of her treatment.”

•Photo shows Governor Chime and wife, Clara.

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