Delta: Police nab herbalist, three others over alleged murder

The Police Command in Delta has apprehended four suspects, including a herbalist, over alleged murder in the state.

Spokesman of the command, SP Bright Edafe disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Warri.
Edafe said that the deceased, Paulinus Okon was declared missing by his brothers on Sept. 8, 2024.

He explained that the deceased, on that fateful day, went out with his friend, Efe Onoetiyi and could not return.

According to him, Onoetiyi, who initially denied knowing what happened to his friend, came to Okon’s house to ask his family the whereabouts of his friend.

Edafe said that the suspect was confronted that the deceased went out with him, and he denied it.

“On a later date, the suspect came back and demanded for N500,000 from the deceased’s brother that he will use the money to pay a herbalist who can tell the whereabouts of Okon.
“Again, Onoetiyi came and informed the family that Okon was kidnapped.

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“He also collected a ransom of about N20,715,000 from the deceased brother claiming that he is in touch with the kidnappers.

“When it became obvious that the suspect had something to hide, he was arrested and the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, State Headquarters, Asaba,” he said.

Edafe said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Delta Command, Mr Olufemi Abaniwonda, on Nov. 28, directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ekpan Division, to handle the matter.

He said that an intelligence-led investigation indicted one Okiemute Gaga.

Edafe added that Gaga upon interrogation, confessed that Onoetiyi brought the deceased to Orere River in Otokutu, Ughelli South Local Government Area and requested that they should kill him.

According to Edafe, “Gaga further disclosed that on Sept 8, himself, Onoetiyi, Sunday Ikpeba and a herbalist identified as Lawrence Joseph.

“Tied the deceased to a stake at night close to Orere River and beheaded him alive”.

Edafe further said that the body of the deceased was thrown into the river while the herbalist took the head and buried it at his shrine in Otokutu.

He said that the DPO of Ekpan Division led police operatives to the shrine in Otokutu where the skull of the deceased was exhumed and recovered.

“During interrogation, Onoetiyi was asked why he killed his friend (Okon) and he explained that he saw a building for sale at a cost N30 million.

“Onoetiyi advertised the building to the deceased and he paid him the N30 million in three instalments.

“But instead of buying the house, the suspect diverted the money for his personal use, bought two plots of land and was building a duplex for himself,” he said.

Edafe quoted Onoetiyi to have further said that he did not know how to explain to the deceased that he had spent the money on something else, hence he decided to kill him.

(NAN)

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