Ekenedilichukwu Okeke, age 20, admitted on Friday that he was guilty for Mrs. Theresa Okeke’s horrific murder in Awka, Anambra State.
According to reports, Okeke, an accountant with the National Population Commission (NPC), was found dead in her home at No. 4 Umuziocha, Awka, on September 28, 2022.
However, the suspect claimed that he killed the dead so that she could take N1 million from her phone while being paraded by police together with 19 other people at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Amawbia.
Shortly after the deceased, who had been aiding him in paying his fees, said he must leave her residence due to a misunderstanding, he claimed he had to recruit his pals to help him carry out the act.
He stated: “I completed the JAMB exam and began working odd jobs to help me pay for my university’s tuition. A year ago, I too worked for NPC.
“I had a running argument with my mother, and she reprimanded me. I begged her for forgiveness, hoping she would. However, she asked me to leave the house the following day.
“I called my father and older brother to let them know about the situation, but my father didn’t answer. My brother made the decision to listen to what I had to say.
“I then called my pals to ask them to assist me gain money from my mother so I could use it to pay my tuition before I was admitted. She stumbled along the way and slouched.
I’m very sorry and asking God to have mercy on me and the authorities to pardon me.
According to one of the conspirators, musician Peter Jideofor, who admitted to tying the dead woman’s lips shut as she tried to scream, they wouldn’t have killed her if she had given them her pin number.
“He told me he had a problem with his stepmother and that I should help him get N1m from her,” he remarked. With my other guys, it was around 2 in the morning. Her wrists and feet were bound.
“I physically tied her mouth shut when she wanted to yell. She subsequently ceased breathing. Since my goal was not to murder, I departed at that point. I instructed the man to continue checking on her every 30 minutes as I was leaving.
But she informed us of her death in the morning. We all ran in horror, but I remained inside until the day I was arrested.
Jideofor, who said he was an orphan, expressed regret for the deed, adding it was his first time.
“I must admit, I had no intention of killing her. I feel awfully bad. I’ve never done this before. 24 is my age. She refused to provide us the pin number, which prevented us from transferring money.
The CP, Echeng Echeng CP had earlier said that the key suspect was the same person who had come to report his step mother’s horrific murder by unidentified assailants.
He claimed that the accused had since admitted to the crime and that they would shortly face charges.
According to him, Mrs. Theresa Okeke (f), a 54-year-old accountant with NPC in Awka, was brutally murdered in her home at No. 4 Umuziocha on September 28 at around 02:00 a.m.
“As soon as the matter was reported, her stepson Ekenedilichukwu Okeke, 20, who shared a home with the dead, was taken into custody and questioned.
He stated that his stepmother was killed by armed thieves who broke into their home. But after being interrogated using intelligence, he eventually admitted to the crime and identified his accomplice.
“Detectives from State CID Awka mobilized quickly in the hunt for the accomplices, which resulted in the capture of three further suspects, namely Peter Jideofor, alias Rider, 23, Chukwuemeka Christopher, 29, and Chisom Emmanuel, 22.
They have all admitted to the murder and revealed that the deceased stepson hired them to kill the victim so they could steal $1 million from her account because they knew her phone password.
