The police in Anambra State have arrested a 49-year-old man, Ikechukwu Atansi, for allegedly killing his wife, Uchechi.
It was gathered that after he killed his wife, Ikechukwu locked himself up in a room with her corpse for three days.
The incident happened in Ezimezi, Amawbia, in the Awka South Local Government Area of the state.
A resident told PUNCH Metro, “The man stayed inside the room with the corpse for three days until her body started decomposing and an offensive odour started oozing out from the room. That was when neighbours knew what had happened.”
The source said he suspected that the suspect was into money ritual.
“I suspect that he killed his wife for money rituals. My thinking is that he stayed with the corpse waiting for it to start yielding money, but he was disappointed,” the source stated.
In his defence, Ikechukwu confirmed that his wife was murdered, but he denied having a hand in the killing.
He said, “I went into a mysterious slumber during the period; I could not understand what was happening around me. Three times, I tried to regain consciousness but failed, because I fell down in the process and went into a deep sleep.
“That was why the matter could not be reported to the police. It was on the third day that I somewhat regained consciousness and I raised the alarm and neighbours came and invited the police.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said the police suspected that the victim was murdered.
He said, “Around 8.30am, a distress call was received by the Central Police Station, Awka, that an unusual odour was perceived by neighbours from the room of one Ikechukwu Atansi at Chimas House, Ezimezi, Amawbia in the Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, and that flies were all over the premises.
“Following the report, a police patrol team led by the DPO, Central Police Station, Awka, Chucks Nwoke, rushed to the scene, opened the door and discovered the decomposing body of a woman, who was later identified as Mrs Uchechi Atansi, 31, of Enugwu-Agidi lying lifeless in the room.
“After a careful analysis of the scene by police detectives, marks of violence were observed on the body of the victim and blood spilled all over the room.
“Photographs of the victim as well as the scene were taken and the corpse was removed and deposited in the Amaku General Hospital mortuary for autopsy after it was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.
“Surprisingly, however, the deceased’s husband, one Mr Ikechukwu Atansi, 49, of Umudum village in Isuanochia was right inside the room with the deceased when the door was opened and could not give a satisfactory account of what actually transpired.
“Instead, the husband claimed that he was injected with a substance by unknown persons, who according to him, must have killed his wife.
“The husband was subsequently arrested and he is assisting the police with useful information to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
The PPRO added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, John Abang, had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for discreet investigation.
PUNCH
