Chief Damian Madubugo, a relative of the 28-year-old woman who was allegedly raped and murdered in Imo State, has appealed to security agencies to ensure that everyone connected to the incident is identified, arrested and prosecuted.
In an interview from 01:00 that was posted by The PUNCH, while speaking about the tragedy, Madubugo said the victim was attacked in the early hours of Tuesday last week while on her way to work.
According to him, it had been raining heavily that morning when the deceased left home. He alleged that while she was walking along the road, she was intercepted by a group of hoodlums who allegedly raped her, killed her and dumped her body inside a roadside canal.
He further alleged that the victim cried out repeatedly for help during the attack, but no one came to her rescue.
He said, “On Tuesday last week early morning, one of our sisters was going to her work. It was raining heavily that morning. While she was walking along the street, some group of boys accosted her. They raped her, killed her and dumped her inside a kind of canal by the side of the street.”
Madubugo stated that residents later informed the family that security personnel living around the area reportedly heard the victim screaming and calling for help while struggling with her attackers.
According to him, despite her repeated cries of, “In the process of the whole stuff, the security people living around the place; when the girl was fighting for her life and struggling with the people, they said they were hearing noise; ‘Please help! Please help’, nobody came out until they killed my sister and dumped her in a canal by the side of the street.”
He said one of the suspects was later apprehended after members of the community reportedly overpowered and beat him before handing him over to the police.
He added that the deceased’s body was subsequently evacuated to a mortuary.
Madubugo further alleged that the suspect in police custody was the same neighbour the deceased had repeatedly complained about before her death.
He claimed that the victim had informed family members that the neighbour had persistently tried to have a relationship with her, but she consistently rejected his advances.
He also alleged that the suspect had harassed her on several occasions and at one point disconnected electricity supplying their residence.
He said, “She had been complaining about the neighbour that had been approaching her, trying to have a relationship with her, but she refused him. He even got to the point of removing our light from the house.”
He further claimed that after the incident, the same neighbour allegedly brought the victim’s handbag back to her younger sister. According to him, it was the same bag she had carried when she left home for work on the day she was attacked.
Madubugo said the family immediately mobilised after receiving news of the incident and went to the police station, where officers recorded a statement from the deceased’s immediate younger sister before directing them to another police formation.
He explained that when they requested to see the suspect, police informed them that it would not be possible because the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) was unavailable and asked them to return the following day.
According to him, when the family returned a day later, they found the suspect lying on the floor in obvious pain, allegedly as a result of the beating he received before his arrest.
He claimed that the IPO informed them that officers at the Police Area Command had declined to take custody of the suspect because of the severity of his injuries and advised that he should first receive medical treatment.
Madubugo said the family later returned to the police station with their lawyer but were again informed that the suspect was still receiving treatment.
He added that during another visit, they met the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for the first time, who reportedly assured them that investigators had already obtained statements from residents of the neighbourhood as part of the ongoing investigation.
While commending the police for the steps taken so far, he expressed confidence that investigators would ensure everyone connected to the alleged crime is brought to justice.
“I know the police are our friends. They are doing a marvellous job. They are so amazing. I believe they will do a good job by getting everybody involved in the killing of our sister arrested and prosecuted….See More