By Ikeugonna Eleke
Four persons have been arrested by the Anambra State Police Command’s operatives for burning a 74-year old woman to death.
The incident happened on Saturday, January 25, in Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area. Her attackers immediately procured a coffin and wanted to bury her immediately before they were apprehended.
A source said the woman who used a wheelchair, was suspected to have been burnt for ritual purposes by one Ifeanyi Igwe who is still at large, but four persons connected to the incident, including his girlfriend, Chinenye Ekwenugo, a 21 year old girl, have been arrested.
Police Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, set the record straight in a press release, saying that three of the four persons arrested were linked to the procurement of a coffin and burial of the victim.
His release read: ‘The Anambra State Police operatives serving at Abagana Divisional Police Headquarters, today, 26/1/2024, by 9 am, arrested four suspects, including a 21-year old lady Chinenye Ekwenugo, from Ifitedunu.
‘They were arrested over the burning of a 74 year old woman in a wheelchair at Abagana.
‘During interrogation by police operatives, the suspect, Chinenye, confessed that her boyfriend, Ifeanyi Igwe, who is currently at large, and three others, set the victim ablaze and got a casket to bury her before the intervention of the security operatives.
‘Operatives have initiated moves to arrest the main suspect, Ifeanyi Igwe, who is currently on the run. The body of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue for autopsy and further probe of the cause of the death.’
Ikenga gave the names of the other three suspects to include: Uzochukwu Okeke, aged 47; Fidel Anayo, aged 60; and Ikenna Anene, aged 54 years, respectively, all from Abagana.
According to Ikenga, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, while reacting to the report of the incident, sued for calm and ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Command for a comprehensive investigation.
