Hunchback Murder case: Suspected ritualist caught

Firstclass newsline gathered that the State police command in abia
state has arrested a suspected ritualist, Marshal Nwankwo, of Dikeukwu
autonomous community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia
State, for allegedly killing a hunchback, Mr. Ukata Iheme, for money
making purposes.
Firstclass newsline learnt that the suspect, who was said to have
committed the crime with another suspect, Emeka Okoye, now at large,
allegedly killed and buried the victim.
It was learnt that the abia State Police Public Relations Officer,
PPRO, Mr. Onyeke Udeviotu, who confirmed the incident, said the
suspect was arrested, following information that he was alleged to
have been sighted last with the victim before his disappearance.
According to the Police, the suspect on interrogation made useful
statements that led to the discovery of the grave where the body of
the victim was buried.
Following his confession, the decomposing corpse of the victim was
last Tuesday exhumed from the grave.
Udeviotu said the police investigation was still on-going and appealed for calm.
Sources from the community said the victim was reported missing on
Saturday, October 10, 2015.
His disappearance was reported to the Police and public announcements
also placed on local radio stations.
The sources said the arrested suspect and his accomplice on the run,
claimed to be pastors.
Acting on information, the youths of the community were said to have
stormed the residence of the fake pastor who, however, denied any
knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing hunch- back.
But not satisfied with his answers to questions put to him, the
curious youths handed the suspect over to the Police for further
interrogations.
According to the youth leader of the community, Mr. Chukwudi Egwu,
when the suspect was confronted, he told them that he went to Benin on
the day of the said incident, not knowing that his wife had earlier
told them that he went to Lagos.
"We got information that the suspect was seen on that fateful day at
Dubai market Onuimo, drinking wine with the pastor.
''Some people also said they later came to a beer parlour at Dikenta
village drinking together. But the pastor denied setting eyes on him
that day," Egwu said.
He said the youths decided to conduct a search at the pastors'
churches where they saw a pair of shoes identified by the victim's son
as his father's.
"This boosted our morale and as we continued combing the area, we also
saw his shorts in a nearby cassava plantation.
''It was at that point that we combed the entire place and saw a mount
of red soil which we strongly believed must be a grave.
"We, therefore, decided to contact the Police who came and we opened
the shallow grave and found his decomposing body inside, with his
genitals and hunchback missing", the youth leader said.
Firstclassnewsline.net