Osatawaji Otuene, the elder brother of a 300-level undergraduate of the University of Port Harcourt, River State, Justina Otuene, who was allegedly killed by a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student of the university, Damian Okoligwe, talks to DENNIS NAKU about the incident
Can you confirm your relationship with the deceased?
My name is Osat-Awaji Otuene. I’m the brother of the deceased, Justina Otuene. I am her elder brother.
How old was she and what was she studying at the university?
She was studying Biochemistry at the University of Port Harcourt. She was in her 300 year. She was 21 years old.
How did you learn about her death?
She was undergoing her industrial attachment at Prestige Hospital in D/Line, Port Harcourt. So she went to work last Friday morning but didn’t return. Everybody in the house became worried that she did not come back. We tried to reach her through her mobile phone that Friday but her line didn’t connect as of 6 pm. But when I tried her line again at 9 pm, it rang. So, I felt since her line rang she was probably at her friend’s birthday. We just decided that the following day (on Saturday) we would call her.
On Sunday morning, at about 8:30 pm, her friend called and said that she did not see my sister at her birthday, which she was supposed to attend on Friday evening. So, we decided to just wait because we tried to reach her through her line in the morning, but couldn’t. We waited till afternoon and were wondering what the problem was – whether her phone was switched off or something. On Saturday evening, it became a serious matter so we started calling all her friends, everybody that we knew we could contact to ask if they knew anything about her whereabouts. but everybody, all those we contacted said they didn’t. That was when we started announcing that my sister was missing! So, that’s how it started.
Did you check the hospital where she worked as an industrial trainee?
Yes, we went to the hospital the next day (on Sunday). We could not go that Saturday night. So we went on Sunday and they confirmed that she was at work that Friday and the information from her department, because she worked in the hospital’s laboratory, was that she booked a ride that she was going to for a birthday party. So, they confirmed that she was at work on Friday. So, from then on, we (the family) declared her missing officially.
I was at the Mini-Okoro Police Station where we were working with the anti-kidnaping unit when somebody called me and said a dead body was reported at the Ozuoba Police Station, and that I should go there and confirm if the body of that person was the missing person I was looking for. I got another call some minutes later and the person said that he had confirmed that the missing person killed was the person missing. So I immediately reported it to the investigating police officer at Mini-Okoro Police Station. So immediately, the commander gave us the go-ahead to confirm if the body was that of the missing person, that is my sister. We went to the Ozuoba Police Station and from all their findings, they confirmed that she was the person. So, that was how I knew.
Did you know that your late sister was the girlfriend of the suspect who was arrested by the police?
They dated but they broke up a long time ago. Before this incident, she was not his girlfriend. They dated, I think, two years ago, in 2021. That was a very long time and they didn’t contact each other after they broke up till, I believe, in 2023. If they had had any contact before then I would have known. Even if she hid it from me, I know that they didn’t have contact because I spoke to my sister’s best friend who gave me information that the guy who killed my sister texted her in June 2023. Though she didn’t give me the precise date, that guy texted her and asked for my sister’s phone number. That was the Information I received. They didn’t have anything together for a long time.
I’m not happy with everything that is being said in the media because if she was in a relationship for the money she wouldn’t have broken up (with him) in the first place and mind you, they broke up in 2021. The murderer got my sister’s phone number from her best friend in June 2023.
Did your sister live in the school hostel or off campus?
She lived off campus.
Did you know where she was staying off campus?
Yes. She lived behind Chem. That is what the place is called, behind Chem in Alakahia (near UNIPORT in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State).
What do you think was the motive behind her killing?
I don’t think it has to do with payback. He knew his intentions from when he wanted to start doing whatever he wanted to do. I don’t think it was a payback for anything. I don’t know what his intentions were but he didn’t have good intentions from the onset.
You are also a student of the university. Do you know the suspect either on campus or elsewhere before now?
I have not seen him on campus.
You said earlier that your sister dated him previously. Did you ever see his picture on your sister’s phone?
Yes.
When was that?
In 2021, and as of that time, I knew that they had something.
You were at the police headquarters when the Commissioner of Police paraded the suspect. Was there any part of his account that you disagree with?
The statement that Damian and my sister were dating is wrong. They broke up long ago so I feel like that should be corrected. The whole narrative of (my sister) being his girlfriend is wrong. It needs to be corrected. Again, there are statements that my sister was materialistic. It is wrong. She was my sister and I know the kind of person she was. The truth needs to be out there.
What is the truth?
The truth is that she dated him two years ago and she didn’t have anything to do with him after then. So, the narrative that is going around that she was dating a Yahoo Yahoo boy and liked a flashy lifestyle is wrong.
Does it bother you how your late sister got to the suspect’s residence?
Probably. Maybe, I don’t know how my sister got to his place because the murderer refused to convey the correct information when he was being questioned. Whether he picked her up from somewhere or my sister went to his house by herself, we don’t know. But the truth is I know maybe they must have gotten the contact probably two weeks before and maybe he must have convinced her to come, So, the narrative of dating a Yahoo Yahoo boy and that she deserved what happened to her or that it served her right is wrong. My sister did not deserve that narrative at all because it is not correct.
How would you describe her lifestyle?
My sister was loving and very calm. She never looked for trouble, she was calm, loving, and God-fearing. She was respectful and very helpful. We are going to miss her a lot. I know how she was always of help when needed; she was always there. She was caring. She helped my mum even when they had a little misunderstanding sometimes. She did everything for my mum as the only daughter. So, we are going to miss her very much.
How many siblings do you have?
I had four siblings and she was the only sister.
What about your dad?
My dad is not alive.
According to an account given by the police, a neighbour perceived a stench from the suspect’s apartment. The police said they got the information, went there, and broke into the apartment, and discovered her decomposing corpse. Was that what your family also found out?
Yes, I think, but from what I know, the person who perceived the smell and alerted the police is the owner of the building who reported it to the police and they did what they had to do.
Did your sister ever share her challenges with you?
Yes, she shared her problems with us. When her phone was stolen she told us. When she had serious stomach pain, she told us. So she shared her problems with us.
Did she tell you that she felt threatened before she went missing?
No. The only issue of threat we had was after we declared her missing on October 23, 2023. When we went to police headquarters and reported the case to the control room, they aired it. When we returned from the police station, we started receiving calls. We got a call from someone who threatened us. The person said that because we reported to the police, we were not going to see my sister again. My mum called me to say that somebody had spoken to her. When I returned the call, the receiver did not say anything but later, I heard a female voice. When I asked her what she wanted, she said she didn’t want anything. She said there was a difference between being kidnapped and missing. That I should not call that number again and she ended the call. That was the last call we received that Sunday. Other normal calls started coming later. The next day (Monday) another person called and demanded a ransom of N2m. He said we should get the money ready so he was going to call again in two days.
Did your family pay the ransom?
No. We didn’t. The next day (Tuesday), we reported the matter to the police. When the person who said we would not see our sister again was tracked, she said her number was stolen and was being used by some boys. But the police detained the lady at the station. While working on the case the next day, we received a call from someone that a dead body had been taken to the Ozuoba Police Station, that the body was found around Obiri-Kwere junction, and that we should go to the station. So, I reported to the IPO at Mini-Okoro Police Station. He reported to the (police) commander who gave the IPO the go-ahead. We all went to the Ozuoba Police Station and met an officer there who confirmed that the person in the picture was the person who was killed but that it was not official yet. So, we returned. Before the evening of that Wednesday, the news went viral on social media; everybody started talking about it, that she (my sister) was butchered by her boyfriend and different videos started coming out.
Have you seen your sister’s corpse?
No, I haven’t. My uncles went to the morgue today (Friday, October 27) but I don’t know whether they saw it.
When it was confirmed that your sister was dead, what was your reaction?
I felt very bad. That was the worst feeling I had ever had in my life. I didn’t even have that feeling when I lost my dad. So, this is the most painful moment in my entire life.
When did you lose your dad?
That was in December 2018.
How did you break the news to your mum?
She didn’t receive it well. We tried as much as possible to break it to her in the right manner. With the help of God, we were able to break it to her and she is doing fine. I am really worried and I want justice for my sister because the suspect is not looking remorseful. I don’t understand where that is coming from. I just hope that the Commissioner of Police and the government will make sure that my sister gets justice because the guy (suspect) cannot go free. He should not go free for this kind of crime that he has committed. I appeal to the state government, and the Commissioner of Police, to try as much as they can to bring the man to book. As the Commissioner of Police stated during the briefing, parents should be mindful of the friends their children keep. So, this should serve as a warning to everybody.
Are you satisfied with the investigation done so far by the police?
The police are doing a very good job and I will still urge them to continue their investigation to fish out everyone involved in the crime because, obviously, he (the suspect) was not the only one who was involved. I commend the police for doing a good job, the anti-kidnaping unit at Mini-Okoro, and the IPOs. They all did a good job and they played a part in catching the murderer.
The only thing I want to say is that I need justice for my sister, Justina Otuene. I’m appealing to the state government not to let the man (suspect) go free and the wrong narrative concerning the whole matter should end.
