The Imo State Police Command has arrested one Chinenye Nwaneri, for allegedly killing his lover, Chienyenwa Nnodua.
Presenting the suspect at the headquarters of the command in Owerri, the capital of the state, on Tuesday, the police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, revealed that the lifeless body of the deceased was found in a gutter at Madumere Street, Christ Road, Owerri, by officers responding to a distress call.
He further revealed that the investigation indicated that the deceased was in the company of her partner, Nwaneri, on the night she died, and suggested that the suspect may have been involved in her death.
The spokesperson for the state police also mentioned that the body of the deceased had been sent to a forensic pathologist for determination of the cause of death.
He stated that the suspect would face charges once the investigation is concluded.
Okoye said, “Following a distress call received from Bishop Silas Anoruo on January 7, 2024, that the lifeless body of a young lady was seen inside a gutter in front of his uncompleted building at Madumere Street, Christ Road, Owerri, operatives of Owerri Urban Divisional Headquarters mobilised to the scene, recovered the corpse and deposited same for autopsy.
“Preliminary investigation unveiled the identity of the deceased as Chienyenwa Nnodua and further revealed that she was seen last with her alleged lover Chinenye Nwaneri ‘m’, of No. 43, Christ Church Road, Owerri, trekking down to his house very late in the night on 5/01/2024.
“This raised suspicion which prompted the determined operatives to invite Chinenye Nwaneri, a member of the Umuodu vigilante group for questioning.
“On interrogation, Chinenye Nwaneri initially denied knowing the deceased but later confessed after he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department that he was with the deceased the night before she was found dead in a gutter but denied that she was his lover.”
The spokesperson added that the sister of the deceased noted that Nwaneri was her “late sister’s boyfriend for four years,” adding that the deceased “informed her on 5/02/2024 that she was going to spend the night in the suspect’s house.”
Also, a vigilante member who was on night duty with Nwaneri added that “he saw him at midnight” with the deceased while he (the vigilante member) was on “foot patrol.”
Okoye said, “Competent witnesses including the sister of the deceased and a vigilante member who was on night guard duty with him volunteered statements to the police. The sister of the deceased stated that the suspect was her late sister’s boyfriend for four years, narrating further that her sister informed her on 5/02/2024 that she was going to spend a night in the suspect’s house.
“The vigilante who was on night duty with the suspect stated that he saw him at midnight with the deceased along Christ Church Road while on foot patrol.
“Investigation is still ongoing, the body of the deceased has been sent to a forensic pathologist to ascertain the cause of death. The case will be charged to court pending the outcome of the investigation.”
In a separate incident, police have arrested Onwuhara Nwachuku on suspicion of fatally stabbing Theophilus Ukwe, aged 57.
Okoye disclosed that Nwachuku, aged 27, confessed to the crime, stating that he killed Ukwe because the deceased confronted him with a machete while he was harvesting palm fruit on his farm.
Okoye said, “In another different development, operatives of Imo State Police Command arrested one Onwuhara Nwachukwu, ‘m’, 27 yrs for stabbing to death one Theophilus Ukwe ‘m’ 57yrs over a minor dispute.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, stating that he gave the deceased a severe machete cut on his body which resulted in his death because the deceased approached him with a cutlass on his farm while he was harvesting his palm fruit. The suspect will certainly have his day in court.
“The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, assures the general public that the command will continue to work tirelessly in providing maximum safety and security for all and sundry in the state.”