…The Daily Vendor learnt that a woman, identified only as Omotayo, allegedly poured chemical on the 70-year-old
The police and the leadership of Havanah Estate, Arepo, Ogun State, have been accused of plotting to bury a case involving a woman, identified only as Omotayo, who allegedly poured chemical on a 70-year-old painter, Emmanuel Agbeli, which led to his death.
Agbeli’s family and Omotayo were said to have been embroiled in a disagreement that had lasted for a while.
Sources claimed that the deceased was a member in the English section of a popular Pentecostal church at Arepo, while Omotayo was a worker in the Yoruba section of the same church.
The victim was reportedly praying in his apartment on Havanah Estate on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, when Omotayo allegedly entered his room and poured chemical on him.
Agbeli, who started feeling strange reaction on his body, was said to have reported the incident to a neighbour, identified as Mama Hausa, and a security guard, identified simply as Fashola.
The Togolese was returning to his room when he reportedly slumped and died.
A source said that the Estate Chairman, Pastor John and some individuals started pressurising the deceased’s wife, Abigail, to withdraw the case.
A prominent member of the Estate was also fingered for using his friend who worked in the Homicide Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, where the case was being investigated, to get Omotayo released.
“The estate chairman and the family are trying to withdraw the case, citing financial constraints, but we are hoping that God will frustrate the move. They told the wife to get a lawyer that will sign an affidavit that she wanted the case withdrawn voluntarily.
“They were supposed to do that in Abeokuta yesterday (Thursday), but the appointment failed. They have rescheduled the appointment for next week.
“The police planned to release the corpse for burial once they appear at Eleweran (police headquarters) and that could be next week.” He explained.
When contacted, the deceased’s wife, Abigail, said her family was poor and lacked money to prosecute the case but added that she did not want the suspect released.
She said, “I just want the woman to remain there for six months. I will collect my husband’s corpse so that we can bury him. I am the one that want to sign the affidavit so that the case will be closed, but I don’t want the woman to be released.
“I have been selling vegetables at Arepo market for over seven years. Before my husband died, he was a painter and he used to collect job where he would call people to help him with it.
“I am just managing with him before this incident happened. I do not have anything right now; I can’t leave the house. I just asked my children to be going to the market so that we can be getting money to eat. I don’t know what to do and there is no helper.” Abigail pointed out.
The Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi(SP) when contacted however said the suspect would be charged at the conclusion of investigation.
Oyeyemi said he was not aware of any cover-up plot.
“Every time negotiation happens between two parties, that does not concern us. The family may be discussing that, but that does not stop what we are doing. The police will still go ahead to charge her to court once we are able to establish a case against the woman.” He said.