How we trace exhumed stolen corpse to deceased’s brother – Police

Operatives of Zone 5 Police headquarters have traced the stolen corpse of an octogenarian landlord, Pa Anthony Edebiri, to his younger brother in Benin City.

The Police gave the identity of the suspect as Obakpolor Edebiri, younger brother to the late Pa Anthony Edebiri.

The police’s recent finding came amid over two years’ search for the stolen body.

The suspect is said to have admitted to having been contracted to exhume and relocate his brother’s corpse to a yet-to-be disclosed location.

He reportedly declined to give detailed information that would lead to the recovery of the stolen body.

Obakpolor Edebiri was also said to have vehemently refused to either disclose the names of his sponsors, co-conspirators or their motives during interrogation in the homicide section at the zonal headquarters in Benin City.

Police stated further that Obakpolor Edebiri claimed they all took an oath of secrecy before the act as he would die if he confessed.

The Public Relations Officer, Zone 5 headquarters, in charge of Edo and Delta States Police Command, DSP Tijani Momoh, stated this while giving an update on the progress of ongoing investigation.

“The brother of the deceased, one Mr. Obakpolor Edebiri, actually admitted that he was contracted to exhume and remove the corpse of his brother, Anthony Edebiri.

He said he took an oath not to disclose where they took the corpse to and that he would die if he said anything about it.

“Mr. Obakpolor is an old man. He was granted bail after interrogation,” DSP Momoh said.

The zonal police spokesman further explained that investigators had contacted a mortuary in Benin City where the stolen corpse was suspected to have been deposited by the grave robbers.

“In their (mortuary authorities) reply, they said the name Pa Anthony Edebiri is not in their records.

“The mortuary also said anyone can come to check the corpses deposited with them for identification as the perpetrators may have lodged the body using a different name,” the police spokesman stated.

Attempts to obtain comments from Mr. Obakpolor Edebiri or his family failed.

It would be recalled that Pa Anthony Edebiri’s corpse was exhumed and stolen a few hours after it was interred in his private residence in Benin City on January 10, 2021.