
The Delta State Police Command confirmed on Sunday the arrest of Efe Money, a prominent figure in the Otokutu community, and the Chief Priest of the same community, over their involvement in the gruesome murder of Paulinus, also known as Easy Boutique.
In addition to Efe Money and the Chief Priest, seven other suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime. They include Sunday Ikpeba, Gavin Agbaja, Lawrence Joseph, Okiemute, John Egole, Elohor Oboteru, and Godwin Wanwan. Some additional suspects reportedly fled the community to evade arrest.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the arrests in a message sent to our correspondent.
According to the police, the crime unfolded when Efe Money allegedly lured his best friend, Paulinus, to a shrine operated by the Chief Priest, where they beheaded him. The victim’s body was later dumped in a river, and his head was buried in the shrine.
The suspects reportedly demanded a ransom of over N20 million from Paulinus' family after the murder, though Gavin Agbaja, who was originally contracted by Efe Money to kill Paulinus for N1.5 million, withdrew after receiving a part of the payment.
Further investigation revealed that during the murder, Sunday Ikpeba held Paulinus' legs while Okiemute, the executioner, decapitated the victim. The Chief Priest, Lawrence Joseph, allegedly paid Okiemute N100,000 for the execution, and the group disposed of Paulinus' body in the river after removing his intestines and weighting it down with hard blocks.
The authorities later recovered the victim’s head from the Chief Priest’s shrine, where it had been buried. The body was found days later floating in the river before being disposed of again to make the murder appear like a kidnapping.
In a related development, Efe Money, now in police custody, reportedly threatened human rights activist Israel Joe, who had shared his pictures on social media, claiming he would kill him upon release from jail.
Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Human Rights Affairs, Kelvin Ejumudo, condemned the act, calling it "tragic and inhuman" for a friend to mastermind such a violent crime. He commended the police for their swift action in unraveling the crime and securing justice for the victim.
Ejumudo added, "They should all face the wrath of the law as there’s no peace for the wicked."
Posted: at | |