Edith
Nwokolo, who resided at 94, Mushin Road, opposite Ire-Akari Road
Junction, Isolo, Lagos State, was visited by her estranged lover,
Amaechi Uchenna, on February 23 around 10pm. By 11pm, Nwokolo had died
in mysterious circumstances while Uchenna was still in the apartment.
Nwokolo’s
family members alleged that the victim was strangled by Uchenna after a
failed attempt to rape her. But the police said the cause of her death
had not yet been ascertained as they were still awaiting the autopsy
report. The suspect is being detained at the Lagos State Criminal
Investigation Department, Yaba.
PUNCH
Metro learnt that the suspect, a native of Emekuku, Owerri North Local
Government Area of Imo State, had informed Nwokolo that he was visiting
her since they had not seen each other for long. It was learnt that
although Nwokolo, who hailed from Owerri Olubor, Ika North-East Local
Government Area of Delta State, acceded to his request, she told one of
her relations about the proposed visit.
PUNCH
Metro learnt that Uchenna and Nwokolo’s romantic relationship soured
four years ago when the 40-year-old woman became pregnant for the man.
Uchenna was said to have denied responsibility for the pregnancy but
after intervention by their families, he accepted it. However, Nwokolo’s
uncle, Mr. Emmanuel Adukpe, a computer engineer, said when Nwokolo had a
baby, Uchenna abandoned her and the child.
He
said, “At about 1.30am on February 24, my telephone rang; and when I
picked the call, for more than three seconds, there was no response. I
thought it was the usual network problem. But when I attempted to cut
the line, the caller uttered, ‘it is Uche on the line.’
I
now asked, ‘why calling at that ungodly hour?’ “He said Edith
(Nwokolo). I asked, what about her? He said, unfortunately, we have lost
her. I was jolted because nothing was wrong with her. I did not know
what to say again but I picked courage and went further to ask him what
happened? He said, he visited Edith and that they had minor argument and
she complained of chest pain and later collapsed. “He said after she
collapsed, he carried her and one of her neighbours to the General
Hospital, Isolo. When they got there, he claimed that the hospital
referred them to a private hospital and that she died on their way to
the hospital. “Then, I suspected something terrible had happened to
Edith (Nwokolo). I decided not to be harsh with Uche so that he would
not run away.
I
then thanked him for his efforts and asked him to meet me at the
deceased house by 5am the next day. He agreed. Later, I called him to
ask him about the corpse. He said he had deposited it in a mortuary. “By
5am, I was there waiting for him and he arrived with two of his
brothers. Then, we reported the case at Okota Police Station and he was
arrested along with his brothers.” Adukpe said after his arrest, the
police took him to the mortuary to confirm if the corpse was there but
were shocked when a mortuary attendant said Nwokolo’s corpse was not
brought to the place.
He
said at that point, the suspect started blabbing and confessed that he
left the corpse with a private ambulance driver. Nwokolo’s uncle said
when they saw the driver; he told them that Uchenna had asked him to
facilitate issuance of a death certificate from a private hospital
before taking the corpse to a mortuary. Adukpe said, “Uchenna told me
that Edith (Nwokolo) died on the way to a hospital, but the driver said
the hospital demanded death certificate. That was the reason he (the
driver) took him and the corpse to his brother’s hospital.
“I
have been reliably informed that Uchenna’s brother had confessed that
his brother killed her while trying to rape her. When we opened the
door, we saw Edith’s pant on the floor as well as Uche’s pair of shoes.”
But the spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Joseph
Jaiyeoba, told our correspondent on the telephone that the case was
still being investigated. He said the autopsy result was not yet out and
it was difficult to ascertain whether the deceased was strangled or
died from natural causes. Jaiyeoba said, “The man is being held at SCID,
Yaba, Lagos. The case is still being investigated.
The
result of autopsy is not yet out. “Preliminary investigation has not
given enough evidence to ascertain the cause of death. But I can assure
you that the autopsy report will soon be out.”
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon