By CHIDI NKWOPARA, Owerri

…as Police  investigate death of  housewife
The family of late Mrs. Evelyn Uzodinma, who was beheaded by hoodlums about 10 months ago, at Egbu, Owerri North Local Council area of Imo State, has called on Police authorities in Abuja to take over investigations into the matter alleging that Imo State Police Command has been compromised.

Speaking to newsmen, the widower, Mr. Nathaniel Uzodinma, appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar to take over the case expressing discomfort with the manner the state  command has been handling the case.  He passionately appealed to him to change the officers handling the matter as they no longer have confidence in them.

Police IG, MD Abubakar

While members of her immediately family are still passing through agony, as well as awaiting justice in the matter, fear has gripped the villagers and other residents of Ofeuzo, Egbu since the ugly incident was reported.

It would be recalled that late Mrs. Uzodinma, a petty trader, was gruesomely murdered in a farm near her home, and following investigations by operatives of Imo State Police Command, two suspects, an undergraduate and a commercial motorcycle operator, were arrested.  The burial of the 65-year old woman, about two months after the incident, triggered serious protests by her fellow women.

The women, as well as the Catholic priest that officiated during a  requiem mass in her honour,expressed misgivings that Mrs. Uzondinma was being buried without her head.

When Crime Guard contacted the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, for comments, she said the story was strange to her, adding that the Commissioner of Police and herself were new on the posting.

In another development, Imo State Police Command is now investigating the circumstances that led to the death of a housewife, Mrs. Gloria Okoro.  This is sequel to a petition addressed to the Police by the father of the late woman, Mr. Eugene Anyasodo, a native of Mpama, Egbu, Owerri North Local Government area of Imo State.

According to the petition, the woman’s father not only gave names of the suspects allegedly involved in the crime, but equally said that she was beaten to death in her husband’s country home, Amaukachi, Akabo, Ikeduru Local Council area.

He recalled with grief how his daughter, who wedded Mr. Cletus Okoro on December 27, 2012, came home (Egbu) April 9, 2013, to complain about some persons (names withheld).   Anyasodo also recalled that he was in hospital when his daughter came again in April 10, 2013, to complain about the serious threat she was facing in her matrimonial home.

Continuing, the aggrieved father said he advised his daughter to go back to her matrimonial home and promised to visit his in-laws with a view to sorting out the problems.  He informed the police that later the same day, Miss Stella Anyasodo went to Akabo to see her elder sister, Gloria, but was told that she was in the mortuary.

Mr. Anyasodo recounted that his daughter “went to the mortuary and saw bruises all over her body and stains of blood gushing from her mouth, eyes and nose, which prompted us to believe that she was murdered”.

He also told the police that his in-law, Mr. Cletus Okoro, “called me on phone that my daughter, Mrs. Gloria Okoro, was dead and that he was taking her corpse to the mortuary”.

Anyasodo therefore appealed to the Inspector- General of Police to properly investigate the matter, stressing that whosoever is involved in her daughter’s death should be made to face the full weight of the law.

Although the PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, could not be reached at press time for comments, a senior police officer, who spoke on anonymity confirmed the incident and added that investigations were on.