Four suspects who allegedly conspired to kill former President of Benue Customary Court of Appeal retired Justice Margaret Igbetar, were paraded before journalists in in Makurdi on Tuesday by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Bartholomew Onyeka.
The decomposing body of retired Justice Igbetar was found with deep cuts on her back inside her kitchen on Aug. 24.
While parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police said they confessed that they killed the retired judge over family inheritance.
According to him, one Joseph Aondohemba, the nephew of the late jurist plotted her murder and recruited other gang members for the evil plot.
“The suspect confessed to have planned and recruited other people to help him to kill his aunty and led a team of detectives to Adikpo in Kwande Local Government Area where two others were arrested.
“The two arrested at Adikpo were Igbazenda Gbidye (63) and Dzungwenen Ukor (40).
“These suspects admitted that Aondohemba reported to them that his father died and left a lot of property in the hands of his aunty (the deceased) and she had refused to hand the said property over to him.
“They agreed to join him in eliminating her so he could have access to his property.
“One Akuhwa Barnabas (32), driver to the deceased, corroborated their statements and admitted that he gave the gang access to the house and manned the gate until they finished the assassination process.’’ Onyeka said.
The police commissioner added that the four suspects would be arraigned after the completion of investigation.
Onyeka also told newsmen that between July and September, police in Benue arrested 85 persons in connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide, cultism, rape and unlawful possession of firearms.
The police recovered 12 locally-made pistols, four AK47 riffles, four single and double barrel guns, 160 ammunitions and four cartridges, during the period, he said.
Onyeka assured that police would soon secure the release of Benue Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Mathew Abo, who was kidnapped recently. (NAN)
credit: PM News
