Men of the Ondo State Police command have arrested two suspected rapists in the state for allegedly raping a grandmother and housewife to death in two different locations of the state.

While 27-year-old farm labourer, Mima Chinecherem, was arrested in Ore, in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, in connection with the raping and killing of 80-year-old grandmother, Felicia Aderibigbe on her farm, a 29-year-old Togolese labourer, Gbegele Mustapha, was arrested over attempt to rape her landlady and killing of the 58-year-old woman.

Chinecherem from Ebonyi state was arrested in Costain farm settlement where the lifeless body of the grandmother was found and discovered that she was raped to death, while the deceased mobile phone was found on him.

While the 58- year-old landlady and housewife, Adijat Olaoye, was murdered during an attempt to rape her in her room in the Fanibi area of Akure, the state capital.

Speaking during the parade of the two suspects along with some other 16 suspects, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Funmi Odunlami, said Aderibigbe was murdered at the weekend in her farm located in the Costain area of Ore town.

She explained that the old woman left home for farming, and was declared missing for some days before her corpse was finally found by a search party at the edge of her farm and the old grandmother was suspected to have been raped to death due to the position her corpse was found inside the farm.

She said, “On 18^th of May, 2023, a case of murder was reported at Out divisional Headquarters. Late Mrs Aderibigbe Felicia aged 80years left for the farm on the 17^th of May and did not return, all efforts to find her on the farm proved abortive until one Mima Chinecherem aged 27years who specializes in Banga cutting at night pegged a palm frond in front of the deceased house.

“This arose the suspicion of the deceased children who apprehended the suspect and were immediately searched, the mobile phone of the old woman was recovered from him. He was handed over to the police and during interrogation, he claimed he saw the cutlass, bucket and mask at the boundary of the deceased farm.

“When asked the reason for the palm frond, he said it was the deceased children who cut and dropped it on their mother’s farmland, so he decided to take it to their house around 10 pm and told them they would understand the meaning the next day.

“In the same vein, on the 17^th of May, a case of attempted rape was reported at Fanibi Division against one Gbegele Mustapha aged 29 years, a Togolese national who is a labourer.

“He broke into the room of one Mrs Adijat Olaoye, aged 58 years with intent to rape her, while struggling with the woman (now late) he hit her head on the floor.

“The neighbours who heard the noise rushed into her room and saw her bleeding, she was taken to the hospital while the suspects were arrested. The woman later died in the hospital. The suspect during interrogation claimed he was under the influence of the Indian hemp he took that day.”

The Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Funmi Odunlami-Omisanya, who spoke on behalf of the Commissioner said seven suspected cultists were also arrested in connection with recent Owo cult killings that occurred recently.

She, however, said that the two suspected murderers would be prosecuted in line with relevant laws

Odunlami said “on the arrested cultists, based on dreadful activities of cultists in Owo and its environs. The command organized raids of affected areas, led by Area Commander Owo. The teams which included all tactical teams busted their hideouts where the following suspects were arrested.

“The suspects are; Fadaunsi Monday (27), Oluwafemi Ajayi (34), Adewale Monday (22), Olopona Olamide (27), Ifedayo Michael (20), Isiaka Jimoh (30) Olatunji Ojo (35).

The Police PPRO however, called on the members of the public to always work with the police to get the state rid of crimes. (Nigerian Tribune)

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