The Imo State Police Command has arrested a woman, Mrs. Prisca David, for allegedly killing her stepdaughter, Veronica David.
The incident happened on Friday at Ogwuaga-Abba, in the Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State
A resident, Chima Egbu, narrating the incident said Prisca beat the 13-year-old to death, after which she called her husband, who also joined in the assault and connived with her to tie a rope around her neck to create an impression of suicide.
He said, “The man got married to Prisca after the girl’s mother died. They had always maltreated the girl. They were beating her that Friday morning as usual when she slumped and died.
“In a bid to escape justice, the husband called John to help them to tie a rope around the girl’s neck so that people would think the girl committed suicide.
“But neighbours, who suspected foul play, alerted the police at the Nwangele divisional headquarters. The couple were arrested and the corpse retrieved. The third suspect, John, was later arrested.”
Ozugbo, the landlord of the deceased confirming the development to Punch on Sunday, said he was alerted by a resident that the wife of his security guard, Prisca, allegedly murdered her stepdaughter.
He said he contacted policemen at Nwangele, who immediately arrested the suspects and recovered the corpse.
“My security guard called me that his daughter committed suicide and he needed me to pay his salary in advance so he could take her corpse to Taraba for burial. I was worried about how a 13-year-old girl would take her own life.
“On enquiry, I was told that his wife, Prisca, hit a plank on the girl’s head and she died. A boy in the compound told me that he saw the woman when she did it.
“I quickly involved the police and the couple were arrested. The boy who said he saw the woman kill her stepdaughter went with them to the police station to put it in writing. The corpse is ready for autopsy. I will ensure that justice is served,” Ozugbo said.
When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said he had ordered the homicide section of the command to take over the matter.
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