The police in Rivers State have arrested a 400-level student of Petrochemical Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt, Demain Okoligwe, for allegedly killing his girlfriend and harvesting her organs at his residence along NTA Road, Ozuoba, near Port Harcourt.
The victim, Justina Otuene, a 300-level undergraduate also at UNIPORT, was studying Biochemistry.
The state Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, disclosed this while parading the suspect before newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Nwonyi said the suspect, after butchering his female lover, harvested some parts of her body allegedly for ritual purposes and concealed her decomposing corpse in his apartment for days until one of his neighbours, who became suspicious after perceiving a strong stench oozing from his apartment, reported to the police.
Nwonyi stated, “On Wednesday, around 3.30pm, operatives of Ozuoba Division received a complaint from a good Samaritan of Road 20, back of NTA Ozuoba that he went to his house where one Demain Okoligwe, a fellow tenant, perceived a very bad odour and immediately rushed to the police station, where the DPO led detectives to the scene.
“On arrival, the door was forcefully opened, and a Ghana-must-go bag containing a lifeless body was recovered.
“Back to the station and in a search of the fleeing suspect and boyfriend of the decease, one Demain Okoligwe ‘m’ 24, a Petrochemical Engineering 400-level student of UNIPORT, boyfriend of the victim, occupant of the house, now the prime suspect who was seen last with the deceased, was arrested for an inquiry.
“The lifeless and butchered body of Justina Otuene ‘f’ 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 the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department for discreet investigation.
The Commissioner of Police called on parents to talk to their children about carefully choosing their friends not to fall into the hands of wicked and dangerous persons.
In a separate development, the police also paraded a man identified as Enyinnaya Iheukwumere, who claims to be a doctor and two of his accomplices for allegedly trafficking four children, including a child of one year and seven months, all of whom had been sold to buyers.
Nwonyi explained that the suspects were arrested after a woman reported to the police that a man stole her son at her residence in Rumuokoro, on the outskirts of Port Harcourt, which prompted a discreet investigation and the rescue of the children.
