The Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS), Ebonyi State Police Command,
who collaborated with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other
units of the Command, has arrested one Ogbujule Chukwu Mathew from
Lokpanta, Isuochi in Ummunneochi Council of Abia State, for abducting a
59-year-old woman Catherine Okorie Chukwu, at her residence and also
killing her.
Mrs. Catherine who is the mother of an Abuja based industrialist, was killed after she identified one of her abductors,
who had done his internship at her son's company in Abuja.
“Mathew made some confessionary statement, which led to the arrest of
one Ezenwa Egeonu, male, of same address on February 23. On
interrogation, the said Ezenwa confessed that the victim has been killed
by the gang and was buried at Lokpanta, Isuochi in Abia State. He led a
team of anti-kidnapping squad of this Command to the scene where the
body was buried. The area has been identified, that was why the Command
made adequate arrangements for the exhumation of the body. He took our
men there and instead of showing the exact spot, he started taking the
Police round that vast bush until the early morning of Sunday, when he
said his time was up and he was then ready to talk. He then took our men
to the exact spot where they buried the woman", Jude Madu the spokesman of the command said.
Guardian reports that Mathew and four other suspects that were arrested
in connection with the kidnap/murder led a team of 50 policemen in 15
Hilux vans, an ambulance, morticians, Head of Pathology Department,
Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, on a 10 hour journey to the
shallow grave.
Mathew who got emotional at the grave had this to say;
“That pally (pointing at one of the suspects) carry us come here, me
and Pilot. We be three, Mathew (the ring leader) four and that Ampelo.
We dey six in number. Na that Ampelo (from Ishiagu) say make we kill am.
En say because mama (the victim) don see him face, make we kill am. I
tell them say make them no kpai mama. The man come slap me for back. Na
en the other guy (Chibuike, the gang leader) say him go shoot me. I tell
dem say this thing wey dem wan do mama no dey good. Na en dem come tell
me say make I comot. I come go up there go sit down (pointing to a
hilly side of the shallow river). As I come sit down there, I come hear
kpowai. I dey like this (pointing his head to the ground). Pilot come
ask me whether I dey cry? I tell am say I dey cry. I tell am say this
thing wey una do, before next week now, una go hear am. Na im I come
carry my machine (motorcycle) go back”.
According to Mathew, himself and his gang members had tried to escape
Police search by hiding the woman at the backyard of his compound in
Amaekwuru village, Isuochi in Lokpanta for several hours but had to
escape into the forest when they got information that the Police were on
their trail, where the victim was later shot dead on the orders of the
said Ampelo, who told the gang that he did internship in Abuja through
the help of the victim’s son and she had already seen his face; hence
they should not spare her life or they would all be in danger"
After the exhumed body of Mrs. Catherine from Ishiagu community in Ivo
Council of Ebonyi State, was deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital
Mortuary, Abakaliki (FETHA) for autopsy, the command's spokesperson who
spoke to newsmen said;
“We have taken the body for autopsy. The result of the autopsy will
determine our next line of action. We want to find out if they killed
the woman with bullet or poison or any other means, even though one of
the suspects confessed at the scene that one of them shot the woman.
After the autopsy, we shall also update the public. There are some other
persons who are not among the six, but they also contributed in one way
or the other to aid this crime. Though I may not give you the exact
number for now, but others, such as their native doctor, is already in
our net. One of the girlfriends of Umoru, who had helped him to escape
the very first time, is also in our custody. Investigations are ongoing
and the Police is assuring the family and the public that it will get to
the end of it all.”
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