The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 400-level student of Petrochemical Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, Demain Okoligwe, for allegedly killing his girlfriend and harvesting her organs at his residence along NTA Road, Ozuoba, near Port Harcourt.
Justina Otuene, a 300-level undergraduate student at UNIPORT, was studying Biochemistry.
The state Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, revealed this at a news conference on Thursday while presenting the suspect to reporters in Port Harcourt.
Nwonyi said the suspect after butchering his female lover, harvested some parts of her body allegedly for ritual purposes, concealed her decomposing corpse in his apartment for days until one of the suspect’s neighbours who became suspicious after perceiving a strong smell oozing from his apartment reported to the police.
Nwonyi said, “On Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at about 1530hrs, operatives of Ozuoba Division received a complaint from a Good Samaritan and neighbour of Road 20, back of NTA Ozuoba, that he went to his house where one Demain Okoligwe, a fellow tenant and perceived a very bad odour and immediately rushed to the police station, where the DPO led detectives to the scene.
“On arrival, the door was forcefully opened, and a Ghana must-go bag containing a lifeless body was recovered.
“Back to the station and in a search of the fleeing suspect and boyfriend of the deceased, one Demain Okoligwe, ‘m’ 24, a petrochemical engineering 400 level student of UNIPORT boyfriend of the victim, occupant of the house, now the prime suspect who was traced last with the deceased was arrested for an inquiry.
“The lifeless body and butchered body of Justina Otuene, ‘f’, 20, a biochemistry 300-level student at UNIPORT, was recovered and deposited at the mortuary.
“Preliminary investigation is in progress, but the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department for discreet investigation.
“Meanwhile, the command has condoled with the family of the deceased victim while urging young ladies to be cautious and careful about the person they involve with in any form of relationship.”
The CP also called on parents to talk to their children to carefully choose their friends in order not to fall into the hands of such wicked and dangerous characters.
In a separate development, the police also paraded a man identified as Enyinnaya Iheukwumere who claims to be a doctor and two of his accomplices for allegedly trafficking four children, including a child of one year, seven months, all of whom had been sold to buyers.
CP Nwonyi explained that the suspects were arrested after a woman reported to the police that a man stole her son at her residence in Rumuokoro, outskirts of Port Harcourt which prompted a discreet investigation and rescue of the children.
He further said three of the children allegedly trafficked by the doctor also called Dr Hagi were from Benue State.
The police boss said, “Following a case of abduction reported on 09/09/2023 at about 1650hrs by One Ijeoma James ‘f’, 35, in Awalama Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt, on 16/08/2023, one Promise ‘m’ came into their compound and stole her four-year-old son, Prosper James, and all efforts to locate her child proved abortive.
“Police detectives from Special Area Division undercover swung into action by means of intelligence-led policing, one Ifesinachi Opara ‘m’ was arrested, which also led to the arrest of one Happiness, Enyinnaya Iheukwumere, A.K.A. Dr. Hagi, to whom he sold the child.
“Further investigation also led to the recovery of three more children trafficked by Dr. Hagi from different locations of the country: three from Benue State.”
He gave the name of the rescued children as Benedict Kpaaka, a year and seven month old, Godgift Julius, four-years-old, and one Philomina, a six-years-old female.
Nwonyi added, “They were all rescued from different locations in Port Harcourt where they had been sold. Further investigation revealed that one Angel Shimeson ‘f’, 25 years old, from Makurdi still (at large), is the supplier of the children to Dr. Hagi. Effort is being intensified to arrest the culprit.”