Chiemelie Ezeobi
For dumping him and kicking off a relationship with another man, one Philip Ononaku, was thursday arrested by the Oworonsoki Police Division, for drowning his former fiancée in the Lagos lagoon.
The 45-year-old suspect was said to have lured the deceased, 48-year-old Iyabo Akinpelu out to a discreet place before overpowering and drowning her in the Oworonsoki lagoon.
The suspect was alleged to have tied her legs and hands together before pushing her into the lagoon, thus hampering her chances of survival.
After being declared missing on February 11, the body of the deceased was later found floating on the Lagos lagoon five days later, which necessitated police investigation.
According to police sources, the deceased had called the relationship off after enduring years of battery and domestic violence from Ononaku.
According to THISDAY investigation, the duo were said to be live in lovers for over 10 years until the deceased called it quits be because of the constant abuse.
After calling it quits, she was said to have found a new lover, a development the jilted former boyfriend was not happy about and he voiced his anger.
On getting to the residence of the two lovers at Oke-Eri Street, Oworonsoki, he was however said to have been beaten up by the duo, prompting his involvement of the police.
Ononaku was said to have gone to the police to report the assault case and the decease alongside her lover were arrested and later released a day later.
Following their release by the police, the suspect was not happy and he threatened to deal with her mercilessly for not just dumping him, but also consorting with another man.
Days after the threat, the deceased disappeared, the family went to report a case of missing person after 24 hours had elapsed.
Whilst the police were investigating, a body was found floating on the Oworonsoki Lagoon and was later identified by the family as the body of their daughter.
Based on the strength of the threat he had made earlier, Ononaku was arrested and he has been co-operating with the police.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, confirmed the story, adding that the suspect has been arrested.
He said the suspect was arrested by the Oworonsoki Police Division and was transferred to the Homicide section of the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba.
According to Oti, the onus lies on the detectives to ascertain the root cause of the murder before the suspect is charged to court.
He said, “One Christiana Akinpelu of Oke Eri Oworonshoki came to the station and reported that the former husband of her sister, one Philip Ononaku killed her sister, one Iyabo Akinpelu by pushing her inside river after tying her hands and legs.
“The DPO rushed to the scene with his men and arrested the suspect. The corpse has been deposited in a mortuary and the case was transferred to SCIID, Panti, Yaba.”
