Family of slain woman accuses husband, sister of murder

There is confusion as to what led to the kidnap and subsequent killing of one Mrs Bridget Okuomose Osawaru, mother of three who was abducted in her Pharmacy by suspected kidnappers on the 10th of December, 2013 but was found dead on the 21st December, even after the family allegedly paid a ransom of N1.5million. The 46 year-old woman was found dead at Okhuae, the outskirts of Benin city by the villagers.
However, her death is causing serious crisis between the husband, Chief Lucky Osawaru and the family of the deceased following allegation by the family that the husband masterminded the killing of their daughter. Saturday Vanguard learnt that shortly after the deceased body was found in Okhuae, close to the River, the family of the deceased ran to the Edo state Police Command, pointing accusing fingers at the husband and his younger sister Adesuwa.

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It was learnt that prior to the death of the woman, there was a disagreement between the husband and the deceased after Chief Osawaru informed the deceased that another woman had given birth to twins for him. It was gathered that the deceased disagreed, alleging that that could not have been possible since medical investigations have shown that the husband has low sperm count.

The deceased was said to have insisted that a DNA must be carried out before she would accept the situation. She was alleged to have offered to bankroll the bill. It was learnt that the woman’s husband invited the family of the deceased and his own family for a meeting with a view to find solution to the matter and it was in that melee that the younger sister of the husband had an altercation with the deceased and allegedly threatened that the deceased will not see 2014. Following this allegation and the subsequent death of the Bridget, the family ran to the Edo state Police Command accusing the husband and his sister of killing their daughter.

Consequently, the duo were arrested by detectives at the police command but they denied having a hand in the death of the woman. As a matter of fact, the embattled husband revealed how he coughed out N1.5milion to pay ransom in order to save his wife. After investigations, the duo were granted bail.
Now the family of the deceased is crying foul, accusing the police at the Command of not carrying out proper investigation. They decided to run to the AIG zone 5 to seek for justice.

In a petition addressed to the AIG Zone 5, dated 13th January, 2014, signed by their Counsel, F.E.Oberabor, they called for proper investigation into the matter so as to ascertain the real cause of her death. According to the petition, “their daughter wanted to have more children for the husband but was unable to because the husband was confirmed to have low sperm count by different hospitals. Their daughter informed them that based on that, she was surprised when the husband informed her that a woman had given birth to twins for him.

That their daughter insisted that a DNA test must be conducted to verify the paternity of the twins before her husband would accept them and based on that, the husband became angry and invited both the wife’s family and his family members for intervention. And when all these were happening, the woman had  misunderstanding with the husband’s younger sister Adesuwa  threatened her that she would not live to see 2014.

That soon after the quarrel, their daughter was allegedly kidnapped in her Chemist shop at Ekae at Sapele Road, Benin City, and subsequently found dead at Okhuae Bridge by Agbor Road, Benin City. That their daughter’s husband informed them that he had concluded negotiations with the alleged kidnappers and had given N1.5million to his younger brother who is a doctor to pay the kidnappers, only for their daughter to be found dead on the 21st of December, 2013.

That their daughter’s husband and his younger sister, Adesuwa hereinafter called the “suspects”, were arrested and released without proper investigation and ever since, their daughter’s husband has been so unconcerned about their daughter’s death by going about his job and has refused to come to the family to inform them about their daughter’s death”.

The petition said further that “the main purpose of this letter is to appeal to you to use your good office to transfer this matter to your esteem office for a proper investigation of the matter and order the arrest of the suspects who are not ghosts but physical beings and ensuring that justice is done in the case. The Police at the state Police Command did not do any investigation despite the overwhelming evidence against the suspects, hence this appeal for the transfer of the case”.

Saturday Vanguard however learnt that Chief Osawaru and the sister had denied all the allegations just as the husband of the  deceased  was said to have expressed shock over the accusation from the family after they have enjoyed cordial relationship before the unfortunate incident occurred.

It was also learnt at the Edo state Police Command that Adesuwa had denied threatening the deceased saying that the discussions on the very day the meeting was called was on how to find solution to the problem in the family which she said does not warrant killing anybody. But the deceased family is still insisting that the police must fish out the killers and that is the only way the soul of their daughter will rest in peace.

- Vanguard

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