Parading the suspect at the command’s headquarters in Owerri, the state capital on Tuesday, the police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, disclosed that the deceased’s lifeless body was recovered from a gutter at Madumere Street, Christ Road, Owerri, by policemen following a distress call.
He disclosed that the investigation revealed that the deceased was with her lover, Nwaneri, on the same night she was killed, adding that the suspect allegedly had a hand in the death.
The state police spokesperson disclosed that the deceased’s body had been sent to a forensic pathologist to ascertain the cause of death.
He said that the suspect would be charged after the investigation.
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 another development, policemen have nabbed one Onwuhara Nwachuku for allegedly stabbing a 57-year-old, Theophilus Ukwe, to death.
Okoye revealed that the Nwachuku, 27, who had confessed to the crime, killed the victim because the deceased approached him with a cutlass on his farm while he was harvesting his palm fruit.
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.”
