The SHOCK, which engulfed the people of Ezeakam, Eziudo community in Ezinihitte Local Government Area of Imo State, still persists as news of how a young man from the community, allegedly killed his pregnant girl friend through the administration of a local concoction spread in the community. The deceased 25-year old lady, who was identified as Chinonye Ella, was allegedly dating the 39-year old Chamberlin Ojoko before she died July 20, 2015.
While Chinonye lived and operated from Umuahia, Abia State, her boy friend resided and also operated from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with members of his immediate family. Giving a graphic detail of the ugly incident, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, said that the deceased lady boarded the same vehicle with Ojoko sometime in December 2014, at Achingali in Obowo local council area of Imo State, had a close chat which later led to the exchange of telephone numbers.
The CP also said that from police investigations, Ojoko regularly invited Chinonye to Owerri, when they lodged in hotels of his choice and had fun-filled times together. “After any such outing, Ojoko gave his girl friend between N3,000 and N4,000 to cover her transport expenses.
This,continued until Chinonye informed her boy friend that she was pregnant,” the CP recounted. The pregnancy aspect of the relationship apparently unsettled the man and he started making plans to convince his friend to abort the unborn child.
“Having succeeded in convincing the lady to abort the baby, the suspect, on July 20, 2015, took Chinonye to an uncompleted building at Ezeakam, Eziudo and gave her the local concoction he had earlier procured for the abortion,” the CP said. The Imo police boss also said that not long after the concoction was administered on the lady, she started experiencing severe pain in her tummy and later died on the spot, stressing that the man buried her close to the building.
Sensing that he had accomplished his mission, possibly undetected, Ojoko calmly scampered to his Port Harcourt base, not knowing that a little girl clearly saw him as he lifted the body of his girl friend and buried it close to the uncompleted house. South East Voice gathered that the little girl eventually narrated what she saw to the owner of the uncompleted building, Dr. Ukaegbu, who later brought in the officers of Ezinihitte Divisional Police.
Armed with this report, homicide detectives from the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, were quickly brought into the picture and investigation commenced. The police then mobilized and set off to Port Harcourt, taking along with them Dr. Ukaegbu and the suspect’s younger brother, Pastor Sopuruchi Ojoko. Narrating the little he knew about the entire story, the Pastor recalled that he saw his elder brother and his girl friend at about 3p.m. on the fateful day, pointing out that the duo never entered the family house but headed towards Eziudo Road.
“At about 9p.m., my brother returned to the house without the girl. He requested for a shovel. He did not return till about 11p.m. I sought to know where he was coming from at that late hour and he said that he went to the toilet,” the pastor said. Continuing, the suspect’s younger brother said that when information reached the family that Chamberlin murdered his girl friend, he took the police officers to Port Harcourt, where he was arrested.
Giving his own account of the event at the State Police Headquarters, Owerri, where he is currently cooling his heels, Mr. Ojoko confirmed that he took his girl friend to an uncompleted building on July 20, 2015, at about 6.30p.m. “My girl friend took the herbal medicine and later started experiencing serious pain. Then she died. I ran to my house and took a shovel. I carried her body to the side of the building, dug a shallow grave and buried her there,” Ojoko said.
Meanwhile, the CP confirmed that the late lady’s body had been exhumed and post mortem examination done, adding that his major concern as at the time of the interview, was how to connect the relations of the dead lady. “The Command is very desirous to get in touch with the immediate relations of the late lady, given that her telephone handset, which could have assisted the police in this regard, was thrown away by the suspect,” the CP said.
He then appealed to members of the public to provide information that would assist the Police in locating the relations of the deceased lady, who are believed to be residing in Umuahia, Abia State.