Abia Police nab suspect who killed hunchback, removed his genitals.

A suspected ritualist, one Marshal Nwankwo, of Dikeukwu autonomous community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, have been arrested by the state’s police command for allegedly murdering a hunchback, Mr. Ukata Iheme, for alleged ritual.

DAILY POST gathered that the suspect, who allegedly committed the crime with another suspect, Emeka Okoye, now at large, reportedly killed and buried the victim.

The Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Onyeke Udeviotu, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect was arrested following information that he was alleged to have been sighted last with the victim before his disappearance.

According to the Police, the suspect on interrogation made useful statements that led to the discovery of the grave where the body of the victim was buried.

Following his confession, the police said the decomposing corpse of the victim was exhumed from the grave last Tuesday.

The PPRO also noted that police investigation was still ongoing. Udeviotu, however, appealed for calm.

According to sources from the community, the victim was reported missing on Saturday, October 10, 2015. They alleged that his disappearance was reported to the Police and public announcements were also placed on local radio stations.

According to them, the arrested suspect and his accomplice on the run claimed to be pastors.

Acting on information, the youths of the community were said to have stormed the residence of the ‘fake’ pastor who reportedly denied any knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing hunchback.

But not satisfied with his answers to questions put to him, the curious youths were said to have handed the suspect over to the Police for further interrogations.

The youth leader of the community, one Mr. Chukwudi Egwu, said when Nwankwo was confronted, he told them that he went to Benin on the day of the said incident; meanwhile, reports say his wife had earlier told them that he went to Lagos.

“We got information that the suspect was seen on that fateful day at Dubai market Onuimo, drinking wine with the pastor (the accomplice).

‘’Some people also said they later came to a beer parlour at Dikenta village drinking together. But the pastor denied setting eyes on Nwankwo that day,” Egwu said.

He said the youths decided to conduct a search at the pastors’ churches where they saw a pair of shoes identified by the victim’s son as his father’s.

“This boosted our morale and as we continued combing the area, we also saw his shorts in a nearby cassava plantation.

“It was at that point that we combed the entire place and saw a mount of red soil which we strongly believed must be a grave,” the youth leader added.

He said at that point, they decided to contact the Police who came.

“We dug the shallow grave and found his decomposing body inside, with his genitals and hunchback missing.”