In two separate incidents, the Homicide section of the Lagos State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Wednesday arrested two suspects for killing two women violently.
While 42-year-old John Owobi was arrested at the Okooba area of the state for killing his wife, Theresa; the other suspect, identified as Victor Umeh, was picked up for murdering his girlfriend, Rachael Osu.
Preliminary investigation conducted by detectives revealed that after Owobi beat his wife to death, he allegedly forced his three kids to tell neighbours that their mother died after she drank Sniper, an insecticide.
According to eyewitness reports, the lifeless body of the deceased was found lying on the floor of their room and parlor apartment at No. 42 Musiliu Street, Okooba by neighbours.
To cover up his tracks, the suspect was said to have forced his three children not to say anything contrary to what he had told their landlord.
The suspect had also told neighbours that his wife was suicidal, claiming that he had earlier tried to prevent her from committing suicide in the past.
Playing the bereaved husband to the hilt, he feigned shock as he regaled the neighbours on his pain when he purportedly discovered that she gulped the said bottle of Snipper.
However, his three kids later testified against him when the landlord queried them alone in his apartment, given that he had heard the woman cry out before her death.
Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Oficer, Olarinde Famous-Cole , an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said autopsy conducted on the woman revealed that she died of trauma.
He said the medical report conducted on the body also revealed that the deceased suffered internal injuries and fractures from the beating she received.
In the case of Umeh, who beat his girlfriend to death in his apartment along Ago-Okota Road, he has been detained for charges bordering on criminal homicide and battery.
According to the police, the 38-year-old may be arraigned in court on or before next Friday on the murder charge and a slew of others including battery, assault and alleged terrorism.
THISDAY gathered that the police had stepped into the case when the matter was reported to the station by the deceased’s elder brother, Chukwuyenum Osu.
The complainant had accused the suspect of terrorising him after he had his sister killed.
According on police report, Rachael was confirmed dead in an hospital where she was rushed to after she was found brutally beaten inside the suspect’s apartment.
The suspect was said to have locked her up in the room and gone out after brutally beating her and despite her cries for help, neighbours could not help her as the door was locked.
By the time the neighbours later gained access to the room, she had bled to death.
The deceased’s elder brother said he intends to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion until he achieves justice for his late sister.
Also confirming the incident, Famous-Cole said investigations conducted indicted the suspect of murdering his girlfriend.
