Abia pastor allegedly strangles two women, demands N1.5m ransom – Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

Abia pastor allegedly strangles two women, demands N1.5m ransom

Published

on

L-R; Virginia, Chigozirim

A pastor with The Apostolic Church, Umuahia, Salem Chigozirim, has been arraigned before a High Court sitting at Umuahia, Abia State, for allegedly strangling a 45-year-old housewife, Virginia Ndife, and a lady, Chioma Nwoke.

He was arraigned on three counts bordering on murder and demanding a ransom.

Chigozirim was said to have strangled Virginia on September 21, 2021.

The deceased’s husband, Mr Christian Ndife, said his wife on the day of the incident went to their new house on 67, Agulu Street, Umuahia, to do some work with the suspect, who was also a plumber.

Christian said he was at their family house when his daughter informed him that his wife had been killed.

He said, “I rushed to the house, only to see the lifeless body of my wife. I reported to the police and the DSS. After two weeks, the DSS captured the suspect.

“I saw that my wife was strangled with a blue bathing sponge in the neck; the entire room was scattered. The defendant wrote something on a sheet and placed on the ground that he was looking for some documents and when he called my wife, she told him to do his worst.

“He said he had done some plumbing services for my wife and also sent same message to my brother-in-law, Anthony Okeke, that he was looking for his keke documents.”

Chigozirim, during interrogation by the DSS, was said to have confessed to the earlier killing of Chioma in August 2021.

READ ALSO:

The victim’s mother, Mrs Clementina Nwoke, a member of Chigozirim’s church, said she was called on August 20, 2021, that her daughter, who lived in Owerri, Imo State, had not been seen for one week.

“I started looking for her through the DSS in Umuahia and Owerri. I later got a message from my daughter’s phone that I should pay N1.5m. The DSS asked me to offer N50,000; I offered N100,000. Using my daughter’s phone, he (suspect) called me to come to Mbgoko Amiri in Obingwa LGA.

“On reaching there, a voice directed me to where to place the money. Though I was not seeing the person, I dropped the money at the foot of the pole I was directed to.

“I asked him about my daughter and he said after dropping the money, I would see her at Umuikea Junction. This was on September 7, 2021. When I got to Umuikea Junction, I did not see my daughter.

“Towards the end of September, the DSS asked me to show them the picture of Chioma and later invited me to Umuahia, where I met two of my pastors, and all of us went to our apostle at the World Bank Estate, Umuahia.”

She said some of the church leaders later broke the news to her that Chioma’s decomposing corpse was found at Mbano, Imo State.

Mrs Nwoke said her daughter was strangled with a head tie and “left upside down at the foot of a tree.”

She said when the suspect was arrested over Virginia’s murder and his house was searched, he was caught with Chioma’s phone and ATM card, adding that he withdrew a lot of money from the deceased’s bank account.

While in court, the defendant informed the presiding judge, Uchechi Enwereji, that he was photographed by certain persons, who threatened to deal with him.

But the judge assured him that nothing would happen to him in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service.

The case was adjourned till May 24, 2022.

PUNCH

metro

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

Published

on

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the release of at least 313 suspected terrorists detained by the military.

The court ordered their release due to a lack of evidence to charge the suspects after the investigation.

Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, announced this during the operational briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

READ ALSO:

He said, “The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of investigation and other ancillary matters.

“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

Continue Reading

metro

Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

Published

on

Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

One David Ojonugwa has been remanded for allegedly stealing his boss’ N54,142,000 in Lagos State.

An Ebute-Metta Magistrates’ Court ordered the remand of the 25-year-old defendant on Wednesday.

Ojonugwa was arraigned by the police on three counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful interference with property, and stealing.

He pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him by the police.

Consequently, magistrate Adedayo Tella remanded Ojonugwa at the Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till April 24, 2024 for the review of facts and sentencing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Francisca Job, informed the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime in January 2024 at Lorange Water Factory, located at No 3, Olajubu Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos State.

READ ALSO:

According to Job, Ojonugwa unlawfully disconnected, removed, tampered, and meddled with one 10KVA generator valued at N250,000, a 12 HP submersible pump machine valued at N200,000, an electric motor for a water line, N1.8m, and bottled water machine, N1m.

Others are one injection machine module at N12m, injection machine module, N14m, one set of four cavity module bottles (150CL) at N9m, one set of four cavity module bottles (75CL), valued at N8m, one set of four cavity module bottles (25CL), valued at N5m, one electric for motor shrink wrapper (75KW) valued at N110,000, two floating switches for the bottled water line valued at N20,000, 200 stainless bolts and nuts for installation valued at N92,000, six stainless rods for the installation of the water line valued at N200,000 and 1,000 pieces of medium-sized catfishes valued at N40,000, items that were stolen by the defendant.

She said that the total value of the items stolen was N54,142,000, properties of one Mrs Teju Adeleke.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 411, 340, and 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

Continue Reading

metro

Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

Published

on

Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

Fayoade told newsmen on Wednesday while parading the suspect and 59 others in Lagos, that the suspect also stole another policeman’s rifle in Abeokuta and was declared wanted with his gang members by the Ogun Police Command.

He said that the suspect, simply identified as Seun and his gang had been terrorising Ogun and Lagos States respectively, claiming to be an engineer repairing computers and phones before he ventured into armed robbery.

Speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the parade, the suspect claimed he was doing well in his business until he met a friend called Bado, who introduced him to the robbery operation.

He said their first operation was at Abeokuta, where they went to rob in a two-storey building, adding that he scaled the fence of the building to have access into the compound.

“I was the one who scaled the fence and opened the gate for others to come in. Immediately we entered the building, a policeman guarding the building ran into the toilet.

READ ALSO:

“We picked up his rifle and left the place. It was one of us called Michael, who took the rifle to his house.

“Since I joined robbery, I have not killed before now. In our second operation in Lagos, we only collected phones and money.

“We have robbed in Oshodi, Ikorodu and Ifo area of Ogun. We also collected the vehicle from the owner at Abeokuta.

“The motor was driven away by Bado who is our leader. I was introduced to Bado by one Amechi.

“I have once worked with a politician at Mowe, but because he abandoned me and I have nothing to do again, that was why I decided to join robbery. I regret my actions,” he said.

The suspect further claimed that he had only collected ₦210,000 from the proceeds of the three robbery operations he participated in before his arrest.

He appealed to the government to have mercy on him, assuring that if given the opportunity again, he would never return to armed robbery.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police said the suspect would be charged in court after the conclusion of the investigation.

Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

Continue Reading

Trending

Skip to content