The Police in Rivers State have arrested a fleeing suspect, identified as Emeka, accused of raping and strangling Mrs Chigbewejim Steward, the pregnant wife of an assistant pastor in Abarikpo community, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers state.

The suspect was apprehended by operatives of the Ahoada Divisional Police headquarters in the state on Thursday after fleeing for 15 months upon committing the heinous crime on February 12, 2023.

Narrating the circumstances that led the tragic death of his wife, the husband, Mr Lawyer Steward, An assistant Pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Abarikpo community, said deceased wife had a minor altercation with the suspect, where his wife addressed the suspect as a wicked man.

Mr. Steward added that after the quarrel, the suspect mobilised his gang, broke into their house around 1am and whisked away his five months pregnant wife to their forest hideout, where the poor woman was gang raped to death.

He said, “Yes Mr Emeka,he is the mastermind of the death of my wife. After having a quarrel with my wife that morning, my wife called him a wicked man.

‘He told my wife you called me wicked man, you will see wickedness today.And that night around 1am breaking Sunday morning 12^thFebruary 2023,those bad boys came to my house and broke the door and take my wife away.

“Emeka and his gang raped my wife who was five months pregnant and strangled her to death, Police arrested him last week Thursday. Now he is in the Police custody, I have gone there to give a statement.

Mr. Steward who confirmed the arrest of the suspect, begged the government to ensure justice in the matter and not allow the suspect to go scott free.

“I want the Government to intervene so that justice will prevail.”

Daily Independent gathered that following the arrest of the suspect, other victims of the suspect from Abarikpo community, had been thronging the police station where the suspect is held to give their statements, accusing the suspect of ordering the killings of their relatives during the reign of the infamous cultist, David Gift, also known as 2Baba.

The husband of the slain pregnant woman disclosed that his wife’s corpse was discovered close to a fishing pond several hours after she was abducted with multiple bruises and bleeding from her private part.

Mr. Steward noted that the corpse of his wife had been deposited in morgue, added that his late with until her death had fearlessly condemned criminal and cult related activities in Abarikpo community.

The Rivers State Police Command is yet to comment the development, as the Public Relations Officer for the state command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko when contacted promised to get back to our Correspondent, but had yet to do so when this report was filed. (Daily Independent: Text, Excluding Headline)