From Owen Akenzua, Asaba
Efe Onoetiyi was yesterday paraded at the Delta State Police Command in Asaba, for allegedly killing his bosom friend after duping him of N30 million for the purchase of a property.
The suspect confessed that he carried out the dastardly act on the pretext that he was helping him to buy a property.
The Police Commissioner, Olufemi Abaniwonda, who disclosed this at a press briefing, said Onoitiyi, who initially denied knowing what happened to his friend identified as Paulonus, came to the deceased’s house to ask his family of him, but he was confronted that the deceased went out with him on that same date, which he denied.
“On a later date, Onoetiyi came back and demanded N500,000 from the deceased’s brother that he would use the money to pay a herbalist who can tell them Paulinus’s whereabouts. Efe again came and informed the family that Paulinus was kidnapped and he collected a ransom of about N20,715,000 from the deceased’s brother claiming he was in touch with the kidnappers.
“When it became obvious that he had something to hide, he was arrested and the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, State Headquarters Asaba.
On November 28, I directed the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Ekpan to take over the case and ensure that discrete investigation is carried out to fish out those responsible, as the main suspect Efe was not yielding.
“The DPO carried out an intelligence led investigation that indicted Okeimute Gaga, male, aged 48. Okeimute upon his arrest opened up and confessed that he can no longer hide what happened.
He narrated how Efe brought Paulinus to Orere River in Otokutu and requested that they kill him.
“The suspect stated that on September 8, himself, Efe, Sunday Ikpeba and a 30-year old herbalist, Lawrence Joseph tied Paulinus to a stake at night close to Orere River and beheaded him alive. His body was thrown into the river, while the herbalist took his head and buried him at his shrine in Otokutu. The DPO led police operatives to the shrine in Otokutu where the skull of Paulinus was exhumed and recovered.
“During interrogation, Efe was asked why he killed his friend and he stated that he saw a building for sale at the cost of N30 million which he advertised to the deceased and he paid him in three instalments, but instead of buying the house, he diverted the money for his personal use, bought two lands and was building a duplex for himself.
“He stated that he did not know how to explain to the deceased that he had used his money, hence he decided that murder will save him the trouble. Efe and the three other suspects are in custody,” the CP stated.
