CRIME Man hacks teenager to death, deposits corpse in mortuary

A16-year-old boy was on Sunday, allegedly hacked to death after he was tied and hung on a crane in Eziowelle, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The youths in the area were said to have threatened to set ablaze the house of one Ifeanyi Okpoko, suspected to have deposited the corpse of the deceased at Iyi-Enu Mission hospital morgue, Ogidi.

Daily Trust gathered that the deceased, Chidera Ezeanya, was playing with his mates when he was called by the suspect that fateful day and left thinking he was to be sent on an errand.

“When it was dusk and the boy did not return, his parents became worried after they were told by his mates that he was called by Okpoko probably for an errand while they were playing.

“The parents immediately proceeded to Okpoko’s house where they saw the boy hung on a manual crane, with his hands tied.

“As soon as the parents raised alarm which attracted sympathizers, Okpoko quickly untied the corpse, put it into his car and made straight to Iyi-Enu Mission hospital morgue where he deposited it,” a neighbour who craved anonymity narrated.

He said the people who gathered, mostly youths, immediately mobilized and threatened to set the suspect’s house on fire. He however said they were stopped by elders who described the incident as an abomination and assisted the youths in placing palm fronds round the house of the suspect.

Daily Trust further learnt that the suspect, currently at the Ogidi Police station after being arrested, however denied the allegation, describing the deceased as a thief.

“He came to my house by 2.00 a.m on the fateful day to steal but as I woke up he scaled the fence to their house,” he was quoted as saying.

He, however admitted going to the deceased house and dragging him to his house where he tied him and hung him on a manual crane, saying he suspected him to be the person he saw in his house the previous night.

“I am ready to take the police to my neighbours who I felt may have hacked him to death for coming to steal,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the Ogidi Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Mark Ijarafu, said the suspect has been arrested, adding that investigation has commenced.