A suspect identified as Emeka, who allegedly led the gang rape of the wife of a Pastor, Mrs. Chigbewejim Steward, to death in the Abarikpo community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state, has been arrested by men of the Rivers State Police Command.
According to the PUNCH, the suspect had quarreled with the deceased, Mrs Steward, earlier that day, but later
broke into her house at midnight with his gang on February 12, 2023, kidnapped the woman, and ferried her to an unknown destination.
The suspect was said to have fled the community after getting information that the police were on his trail.
The deceased’s husband, an Assistant Pastor with Seventh Day Adventist Church in the Abarikpo community, Lawyer Steward, confirmed the suspect’s arrest on Thursday.
Steward recalled, “Yes, Emeka masterminded the death of my wife after he quarreled with her that my wife called him a wicked man. He told my wife you will see wickedness today.
“And that night around 1 am February 12, 2023, those bad boys came to my house and broke the door and took my wife away.
The deceased husband also alleged that the cult group headed by Emeka gang raped his wife and killed her in the process.
“My wife was five months pregnant. Emeka and his gang raped and strangled her to death. The police arrested him on Thursday. Now he is in the police custody. I have gone to the station to give my statement.
“I want the government to intervene so that justice will prevail. I thank the police for their effort in arresting these bad boys”.
Steward also recalled that the corpse of his wife was discovered with multiple bruises and bleeding from her vagina close to a fishing pond several hours after she was abducted.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would find out from the Divisional Police Officer.
She had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report on Friday.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer who pleaded anonymity as he could not speak on the issue told our correspondent that aside from Emeka, two other persons suspects were arrested in respect of the crime.
“It was not only Emeka. The Ahoada Police Division also arrested two others. They are all in custody,” he stated.
