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…dug shallow grave in his room to bury remains
Wonders shall never cease as one Francis Chukwura, 38 years, and a native of Umuiem in Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, but resident in Ubommiri in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State, has macheted a 14-year-old, Henryafter luring him into his room in order to assist him install WhatsApp application in his phone.
The victim, a neighbour’s son, had on the 6th January, 2022 about 1610 hours, lured the unsuspecting innocent boy into his room where he had already dug a grave-size pit.
On sighting the grave, the boy hesitated and suspicious of it, he turned to run out, than Francis Chukwura picked up a machete and gave him several machete cuts on his head and body.
Incidentally, it was learnt, the young boy did not stop running but screamed for help.
Luckily, passers-by who heard his scream, immediately alerted police patrol team within the area who responded and swooped on the place.
According to the Imo State Police spokesperson, CSP Michael Abattam, who described the incident as “erosion of our moral values and the craze for material wealth led a lot of our youths into the commission of heinous crimes, especially ritual killings and kidnapping.”
CSP Abattam explained that on arrival at the scene, “the police operatives were able to disarm the assailant and rescued the victim with the assistance of some members of the community.
The victim was rushed to a nearby government hospital for urgent medical attention while the suspect was apprehended.
However, on interrogation by the police, the suspect revealed that he was a dismissed staff of federal medical center (FMC) and presently has no means of livelihood.
It was also learnt that he couldn’t give reasons why he attempted to kill the boy and for what purpose. On the excavated grave-size pit he dug in his room, he said the wife was aware and it was done to hurt his landlord for giving him quit notice.
When the wife was arrested, Ezinne Anyanwu, 32 years and a native of Ikeduru in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, she claimed to have three children for the suspect out of wedlock.
She revealed that the suspect told lies as the landlord did not give them quit notice, rather, they are owing rent for some months.
She further explained that the man was fond of beating her saying that, “she is bad luck to him”.
She further stated that, on the 5th of January, 2022 , she came back in the night from her hawking business, surprised to see the already dug grave-size pit in their room.
And when she asked him about it, he said, “he is looking for the dollars he buried in the ground,” that she became suspicious and afraid, adding that he might have planned to use one of her children for ritual, hence she held on to her three children without sleeping till the next day.
However, on the 6th January, 2022, about 0600 hours, he drove her and their children away. She left to her brother’s house and narrated her ordeal to him. That it was in the evening of that day, she received a phone call that, her husband has been arrested for attempting to kill a young boy for money ritual .
The victim is in the intensive care unit of a reputable government hospital and he is responding to treatment.
However, investigation is said to be ongoing and the suspect would be charged to court as soon as it is concluded.
Meanwhile, the Command has appealed to parents/guardians to be wary of the Calibre of persons living within their neighbourhood, especially when they create undue familiarity with their children/wards.
They urged people to report any persons they reasonably suspects does not have visible means of livelihood and lives a life of opulence to the nearest police station or call the command’s emergency numbers 08034773600 or 08098880197.
Commending the police team for their prompt intervention, the Commissioner of Police Imo State, CP Rabiu Hussaini also thanked the community and Imolites in general for their continuous support to the Command and advised them to shun the craze for material wealth as it is the root cause of decadency in our society.
