The Rivers State Police Command has apprehended a suspect named Emeka, accused of leading a gang in the assault and subsequent death of Mrs. Chigbewejim Steward, the wife of a pastor, in the Abarikpo community of Ahoada East Local Government Area.
The suspect, after quarreling with Mrs Steward earlier that day, broke into her house at midnight with his gang on February 12, 2023 kidnapped the woman, and ferried her to an unknown destination.
The suspect was said to have fled from the community after getting information that the police were on his trail.
The deceased’s husband, an Assistant Pastor with Seventh Day Adventist Church in the Abarikpo community, Lawyer Steward, while speaking with newsmen on Thursday, confirmed the suspect’s arrest.
Steward recalled, “Yes Emeka, masterminded the death of my wife after he quarreled with her that my wife called him a wicked man. He told my wife you will see wickedness today.
“And that night around 1 am February 12, 2023, those bad boys came to my house and broke the door and took my wife away.
“My wife was five months pregnant. Emeka and his gang r*ped and strangled her to death. The police arrested him on Thursday. Now he is in the police custody. I have gone to the station to give my statement.
“I want the government to intervene so that justice will prevail. I thank the police for their effort in arresting these bad boys”.
He alleged that Emeka and his gang are members of a cult group ‘In Iceland’, saying when his wife was kidnapped they had taken her to their hideout and gang r*ped and killed her.
Steward also recalled that the corpse of his wife was discovered with multiple bruises and bleeding from her vagina close to a fishing pond several hours after she was abducted.
Our correspondent reports that the late Mrs. Steward was very vocal in condemning criminal and cult activities in the Abarikpo community.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would find out from the Divisional Police Officer and get back to our correspondent.
She had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer who pleaded anonymity as he could not speak on the issue told our correspondent that aside from Emeka, two other persons suspects were arrested in respect of the crime.
“It was not only Emeka. Two others were also arrested by the Ahoada Police Division. They are all in custody,” he stated.
