Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta
A 29-year-old murder suspect is now in police custody for allegedly killing a corps member after raping her.
The suspect, Festus Udoh, saturday, before journalists at the Ogun State Police Command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, narrated how he lured, raped and strangled the corps member, Tawose Modupe, who was serving in Abeokuta, to death at Mawuko area in Odeda Local Government Area of the state.
According to the 29-year-old suspect who is a driving instructor and a native of Uromi, Edo State, the victim had enrolled at the driving school where he was working and she was assigned to him as a learner.
Udoh stated that the victim had called him last Saturday for her learner’s permit, after which he asked her to come to Lafenwa area of Abeokuta to collect it.
“As she came to Lafenwa, I now told her that she should follow me, that there was a place that I will do it for her. We boarded a taxi at Lafenwa and alighted at Iberekodo. From there, we took a bike and dropped at Mawuko junction. As we were coming and discussing, she asked me, ‘is it this place?’ I said this is where I used to stay. She now followed me. We walked to this place and I then told her I wanted to have sex with her. She said no. I insisted and dragged her into the bush.
“As she refused my advances, I dragged her into the bush and had sex with her. After having sex with her, she threatened to inform her family. I told her not to inform her family. I then tore her shirt. As she was gasping for breath, I left and fled the scene.
“The following day, fellow corps members had called my boss to inquire on the whereabout of the lady. My boss called me to come and see her at church. So, when I got there, I saw that people had gathered there. From there, they dragged me into the vehicle and took me to Lafenwa police station. I was there until I was taken to anti-kidnapping section, where I confessed to the crime,†Udoh stated.
Briefing journalists thursday, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ahmed Iliyasu, who was on-the-spot assessment to the crime scene, said the command had earlier received a case of a missing Batch A 2017 corps member.
The CP added that upon receiving the information, detectives from the anti-cultism, anti-kidnapping squad, and other operatives from Lafenwa police division and federal SARS swiftly swung into action.
Iliyasu noted that through technical intelligence and information, the police were able to verify some information with the persons or person she had her last contacted or spoken with.
“Technically, the information led to one person by name Festus Udoh, an indigene of Uromi in Edo State, who was teaching this innocent deceased corps member how to drive. She enlisted with him in a driving school by name Lizzy Driving School in Abeokuta. The man tactically and deceitfully convinced her on the fateful day that her driving permit was ready.
“She went to meet him and he cleverly and deceitfully took this lady and brought her down to this area, Mawuko, in this forest and had a forceful, illegal carnal knowledge of her. At the end of which he strangled her and killed her.
“Following the doggedness of our operatives, who we gave a marching order to make a breakthrough on this case, looking at the importance of this case, within 24 hours we were able to achieve this feat and the suspect was apprehended and he led us to the area where he had committed the heinous crime of having the carnal knowledge of this young girl and strangling her to death. The passport photographs of the suspect and some other apparels of the deceased were found at the scene. He left some marks at the scene; his own passports were there, which is a remarkable scene of crime evidenceâ€. The CP explained.
The Ogun State Police boss, however, said the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Ogun State as well as the family members of the deceased had been notified of the incident.
