Tragedy struck on Thursday at Orba, Udenu Local Government Area
of Enugu State, when a middle-aged vulcaniser, Stephen Eze, allegedly hacked
his friend and business neighbour, Mr. Ikenna Anayo Omeje, to death over N100
debt.
A source told Saturday Sun that
the suspect, Mr. Eze who hails from Edem Ani in Nsukka Local Government Area
and the deceased, Mr Omeje from Umuafia Orba in Udenu council, had been the
best of friends for close to three years before the ugly incident.
According to the source, trouble started, when the deceased was
said to have decided to build his own shop few metres away from his friend’s
workshop.
The suspect was said to have warned him several times that he had
become arrogant because he had made money to build his own shop and buy a new
motorbike.
However, on that Thursday morning, Mr. Omeje took his motorbike to
the suspect’s shop to change its back tube, and was charged N300. He paid N200
and promised to pay the balance of N100 in the evening.
It was gathered that when the suspect left for Nsukka to buy some
materials, Omeje went to his workshop and collected the repaired motorbike.
The source further said that, when the suspect returned and
couldn’t see the motorbike, he sent his apprecntice to the deceased’s shop to
bring back the motorbike or collect the balance of the money.
The apprentice went and delivered his master’s message. However,
Omeje told him that he had resolved to pay his master in the evening. This
didn’t go down well with the boy, as he decided to roll back the motorbike to
their workshop.
The deceased then followed him, and when they got to his workshop,
he was said to have asked Eze the reason he asked his boy to collect the motorbike.
It was then a quarrel ensued and the suspect allegedly hit him on
the head with a rod and he fell and became unconscious.
According to the source, when the suspect discovered that the
deceased had lost much blood, he locked his door and fled. Omeje was immediately
rushed to Nwaossai Foundation Hospital, Orba, where he died yesterday.
However, some youths in the community who were infuriated by the
circumstance surrounding the death of Mr Omeje launched a manhunt for the
suspect, and was apprehended when he came to collect his two children at
Central Primary School, Orba.
The youths descended and beat him to coma, and wanted to set him
ablaze, but for the timely arrival of policemen from Orba Police Post.
Saturday Sun investigation revealed
that Omeje until his gruesome death was the only surviving male child of his
family as his elder brothers had also died tragically some years ago.
The officer in charge of the post confirmed the incident, and
explained that they rescued the suspect from the youths, who were hellbent on
burning him alive. He however stated that the case has been transferred to the
Divisional Police Headquarters Obollo-Afor for further investigation.
The body of the deceased has been deposited at Bishop Shanahan
Hospital, Nsukka.
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