The Rivers State Police Command paraded Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level Petroleum Engineering student at the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, for reportedly murdering his 20-year-old ex-lover for money ritual.
The defendant allegedly murdered, dismembered, and trashed the body of his former lover, Justina Otuene, a 300-level student in the same institution’s Department of Bio-Chemistry.
The killing was reported at Ozuoba Police Station, by one of Damian’s neighbours, at Mgbu Oba Town, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, under the division’s jurisdiction.
Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, the state Commissioner of Police, Nwonyi Emeka, informed that the sad incident was exposed by a neighbour to Damian, who had gone to the suspect’s backyard and was hit by offensive odour. He reported his experience to the police in Ozuoba.
Emeka said: “On Wednesday, 25/10/23 at about 3.30 pm, operatives of Ozuoba Division received a complaint from a good Samaritan and neighbour of Road 20, back of NTA Ozuoba.
“On Wednesday, at about 2 pm, the neigbour went to his house where one Damian Okoligwe, a fellow tenant lives and had perceived a very offensive odour.
“He immediately reported the issue at the police station, where the DPO led detectives to the scene.
“On arrival, the door was forcibly opened, and a Ghana must-go bag containing a dismembered lifeless body was recovered. The body was taken to the station and a search for the fleeing suspect and boyfriend of the deceased, one Damain Okoligwe (24), a petrochemical engineering 400 level student of UNIPORT’s boyfriend of the victim, occupant of the house, now the prime suspect, seen last with the deceased began He was eventually found and arrested for an inquiry.
“The lifeless and butchered body of Justina Otuene (20), a biochemistry 300-level student at UNIPORT, was recovered and deposited at the mortuary.
“Preliminary investigation is in progress. The case has been transferred to SCID for discreet investigation.”
In another development, the Commissioner of Police announced the rescue of four children already abducted and sold by suspected child traffickers.
