The Bayelsa State Police Command yesterday afternoon arrested a man, simply identi­fied as James, for stabbing his girlfriend, Rita, to death and attempted suicide by drinking poison.

The incident caused pandemo­nium at Agudama-Epie in Yena­goa, as residents tof the state capital rooped out to catch a glimpse of James being whisked away in a police van.

Investigations indicated that trouble started between James and Rita at their White House road residence, Agudama-Epie, when James was caught sucking the breast of Rita’s sister, Juliet.

According to reports, Juliet, who is breast feeding her baby, paid a visit to her sister at her residence. During the night, James allegedly crawled up and started sucking Juliet’s breast, while she was sleeping.

Findings indicated that Juliet, who was woken up by this bi­zarre development, opened her eyes and saw that it was James who had her breast in his mouth.

All pleas by James to Juliet not to expose him failed, as she raised the alarm, waking up her sister and some neighbours. In this vein, James was reprimand­ed. However, Rita could not cope with the embarrassment and she decided to end her rela­tionship with James.

Yesterday afternoon neigh­bours alerted the Akenfa Police Station when Rita was found in the pool of her blood with a kitchen knife by her side. The police having been told of the story between Rita and James immediately launched a man­hunt for him and he was found unconscious in a nearby bush af­ter taking a substance suspected to be poison.

The police rushed him to the Federal Medical Centre, where doctors were able to revive him and are battling to save his life, while the body of Rita has been deposited at the FMC mortuary.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ansim Butwats, who confirmed the in­cident, said the police are investi­gating the circumstances that led to Rita’s death.

Butwats said: “Yes, the po­lice have arrested a man called James. He was alleged to have stabbed his girl friend, Rita, who is 35 years old, to death. The po­lice found Rita in her house with a kitchen knife and James was traced to a nearby bush, where he was found unconscious after taking poison.

“He was rushed to the FMC and the doctors have revived him. He is not dead but Rita is dead and her body has been de­posited at the FMC mortuary for autopsy. We took him to his house and the deceased’s house, all the exhibits found at the scene are in police custody and we have commenced investigation.”

•Adapted from Saturday Sun.