Police in Delta arrest man for alleged murder of his friend
The Delta State Police Command has arrested Mr. Efe Onoetiyi for the alleged brutal murder of his best friend, Paulinus Okon after misappropriating ₦30m from the deceased.
The Commissioner of Police for the Delta State Command, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, disclosed the arrest on Monday during a press conference, while parading the man, alongside four other suspects.
He said, “I welcome you to this briefing which is particularly painful. It involves the murder of one Paulinus Okon by his bosom friend, one Efe Onoetiyi. Paulinus was reported missing on September 8, 2024, by his brother after he went out with his friend Efe Onoitiyi, 30. The suspect, Efe Onoitiyi, who initially denied knowing what happened to Paulinus came to Paulinus’s house to ask his family about him.
“He was confronted that the deceased went out with him on that same date which he denied that the deceased did not go out with him. On a later date, Efe came back and demanded ₦500,000 from the deceased’s brother that he would use the money to pay a herbalist who could tell them Paulinus’s whereabouts. Efe again came and informed the family that Paulinus was kidnapped and he collected a ransom of about ₦20,715,000 from the deceased brother claiming that he was in touch with the kidnappers.
“When it became obvious that Efe had something to hide, he was arrested and the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, State Headquarters Asaba. On November 28 2024, I directed the DPO Ekpan to take over the case and ensure that a discrete investigation was carried out to fish out those responsible, as the main suspect, Efe, was not yielding.
“The DPO Ekpan carried out an intelligence-led investigation that indicted one Okeimute Gaga 48, Okeimute gaga upon his arrest opened up and confessed that he could no longer hide what happened. Okeimute Gaga narrated how Efe brought Paulinus to the Orere River in Otokutu and requested that they kill him. The suspect further stated that on September 8, 2024, Efe and Sunday Ikpeba, and a 30- old herbalist Lawrence Joseph tied Paulinus Okon to a stake at night close to Orere River and beheaded him alive.
“His body was thrown into the River while the herbalist took the head of Paulinus and buried him at his shrine in Otokutu. The DPO, Ekpan Police station, led police operatives to the shrine in Otokutu where the skull of Paulinus was exhumed and recovered.”
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Olufemi stated that during interrogation, Efe confessed that he killed Paulinus because he did not know how to tell him he had diverted his money meant to buy the house.
He added, “Efe stated that he saw a building for sale at ₦30 million, which he advertised to the deceased and the deceased paid ₦30 million 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 further stated that he did not know how to explain to the deceased that he had used his money hence he decided that killing Mr Paulinus would save him the trouble. Efe and the three other suspects are in custody.”
The CP, however, urged members of the public to be vigilant especially this season about the friends they keep, lamenting that parents are no longer taking the upbringing of their children, especially boy children seriously.
In an interview with the suspects, they all confessed to the crime, saying that the head was sacrificed to the gods of the community.
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