Police officer detained over murder of widow in A/Ibom
The Akwa Ibom state Police Commissioner, Imohimi Edgal has ordered for the detention of Inspector Bassey Ikpe for the gruesome murder of Mrs. Deborah Nkpenie at entrance of the state police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
In a statement issued in Uyo on Wednesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Odiko Mcdon, the police boss said the death of the widow was publicised on social media and ordered the deputy commissioner of police in -charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to handle the matter while the suspect remains in custody.
The statement reads in part:”The attention of the Akwa Ibom state Police Command has been drawn to a publication in some dailies and online media that a police officer attached to the Akwa Ibom state Police Command, one Bassey Ikpe reportedly beat up one Mrs. Deborah Nkpenie to death on January 16.
“To authenticate this serious allegation, the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal has ordered the immediate arrest of the said inspector.
The commissioner has instructed the deputy commissioner, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to carry out a thorough investigation into the matter, while reiterating the command’s commitment to policing with great respect for human rights.”
Our correspondent gathered that trouble for late Deborah started when her late husband family reported a case of taking over her late husband’s property with the suspected Inspector Ikpe as the investigating police officer in the case.
An eyewitness, Ukpono Umoren told our correspondent that Ikpe was assigned to arrest the deceased in her house, but met the victim on her sick bed.
He said the police officer disregarded pleadings by the victim that she was ill and as such will be unable to follow the officer to the state police headquarters.
Ukpono said the police officer ignored all pleas, assisting that the deceased must follow him to the police headquarters for interrogation, adding that at the police headquarters, the deceased was unable to alight from the tricycle.
He said the suspect beat up the deceased severally inside the tricycle before she slumped and became unconscious, prompting the suspect to rush her to the police clinic where she was confirmed dead by doctors.
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Another eye witness, Obonganwan Peter, who claimed to be the sister of the deceased, explained how the suspect, Bassey went wild when the deceased told him that she was sick claiming that she was lying.
“My late sister was beaten to death by Inspector Bassey Ikpe. He had threatened her repeatedly ever since this matter came up. My sister had waste pains arising from the dislocation she had while caring for the late husband. This made it difficult for her to move about freely,” she added.
