How 70-year-old woman was murdered, buried in shallow grave – Police

Police said one of the suspects demanded ransom from the victim’s children weeks after allegedly murdering her.

The police in Enugu State, South-east Nigeria, have arrested two lovers who allegedly murdered and buried a 70-year-old woman in a shallow grave in the state.

The suspects, a 33-year-old man, Ikechukwu Okoye, and a 39-year-old woman, Juliet Ogbodo, are both indigenes of Onuorie-Obuno in Akpugo Community, Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday evening.

How it happened

Mr Ndukwe said the victim, Mary Nwatu, was reported missing on 15 September after unsuccessful efforts to locate her.

The police spokesperson said Mr Okoye, the prime suspect and kin of the victim, subsequently began to contact her children on 5 October, demanding N6 million as ransom.

He said police operatives consequently arrested him.

“Upon his arrest, which followed credible intelligence reports, Okoye confessed to kidnapping Mrs. Nwatu on 14 September 2024, around 8:00 a.m.

“He stated that the victim came to their house to look for his mother when he kidnapped, murdered, and buried her in a shallow grave inside an uncompleted building in the compound,” Mr Ndukwe said.

The police spokesperson said Mr Okoye also confessed to demanding a ransom from the victim’s children, initially asking for N6 million, which was later negotiated to N3 million.

“He eventually received payment of N20,000 which was for him to allow the children to hear their mother’s voice via the phone before further payments,” he said.

Ogbodo’s role

Mr Ndukwe said the female suspect, Ms Ogbodo, who is the girlfriend of the male suspect, confessed to being aware of the crime but failed to report it to the police or any other relevant authorities.

The police spokesperson said the victim’s body had been exhumed and deposited at a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

“The suspects, along with any other individuals found complicit in this heinous crime, will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations,” he said.