After they had had a fill of the fun the place could offer, they took their leave and Gabriel was later dropped off at his residence by one of his friends.
Beaten and hanged...the late Gabriel Bassey
The story, however, took a tragic turn the following morning, August 10, as his lifeless body was found dangling in front of a shop along Umuahia Road in Ikot Ekpene Loca Government Area. The pair of trousers he wore became the noose with which he allegedly hanged himself. A measuring tape, pen, a pair of his shoes and an exercise book were found on the floor where his body was discovered.
Initially, those who rushed to see this ‘August’ spectacle shouted, suicide. But on a closer examination, it was discovered that Gabriel never committed suicide. He was beaten to death and later dragged up and hanged with his trousers to make it look like suicide. The body of the late Gabriel was later deposited at the Ikot Ekpene General Hospital Mortuary, after necessary clearance was given by the Police and the needed sacrifices performed to cleanse the environment of the abominable act.
The body of the deceased was later released by the appropriate authorities to be buried in his home town, Ikot Ekwere Ubium, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, and that was when the bubble burst.
All along, the death of young Gabriel was shrouded in total mystery. People were confused as to how Gabriel, who was with some friends in Uyo the day before, could suddenly be found hanging at somebody’s shop along Umuahia Road , in Ikot Ekpene the following morning.
It was during the occasion of the burial of Gabriel sometime in September, that it was discovered that one of his very close friends was not present at the ceremony. The young man, simply known as Isaiah, is also an indigene of the same village where the late Gabriel hailed from.
Vanguard Metro, VM, checks revealed that Isaiah was putting up with Gabriel at No. 33 Akpa Ube Street, Uyo until worried about his dubious lifestyle, Gabriel one day asked him to find accommodation elsewhere. Not quite long after Isaiah, also a welder, had left Gabriel’s home, an alarm was raised that the said Isaiah, had stolen a generator belonging to someone he when to work for. Since Isaiah could not be found, the Police, in company of the owner of the generator came and arrested Gabriel since it was common knowledge that Isaiah lived with him. He was detained and asked to produce Isaiah. Gabriel, who did not know the where about of Isaiah, had no other option than to take the Security Operatives to the village (Ikot Ekwere) and showed them Isaiah’s home. His parent were subsequently arrested, Isaiah was fished out and the generator returned.
After the burial of Gabriel, a concerned brother got curious and started making enquiries about the whereabouts of Isaiah. It was discovered that Isaiah was now living somewhere along Ekom Iman junction. It was there that the concerned brother (also a welder) acting on intuition, told Isaiah on phone that there was work which required his welding services.
That was how Isaiah was lured by the concerned brother and later handed to the Police at Ewet Housing Police State as the prime suspect on the murder of Gabriel.
He was later taken to Ikot Ekpene Police State for further questioning. It was there that it was discovered that the said Isaiah and another welder, were Gabriel’s relaxation partners the day before he was brutally murdered.
The other suspect was also arrested by the Police, but later released. Isaiah is currently under the custody of the Homicide Unit of the State Police Cmmand, Ikot Akpan Abia, where he is currently helping the Police to unravel the mystery behind the murder of the late Gabriel. A top Police source, who spoke to VM on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Isaiah has admitted to killing Gabriel Bassey but is yet to mention his accomplices, since it was discovered that it was practically impossible for Isaiah to have carried out the dastardly act alone.
Asked about the motive behind the murder of Gabriel, the Police source hinted that Isaiah claimed that he planned and killed Gabriel because the deceased was pestering him incessantly on the debt he (Isaiah) was owing him and also because Gabriel brought policemen to his village to arrest his parents.
VM investigation also revealed that Isaiah may have tricked Gabriel to come to Ikot Ekpene immediately with a claim that there was a job waiting for him there. That clearly figures out why a measuring tape, a pen and an exercise book were found on him, when his lifeless body was discovered.
It is however still unclear whether the Police has concluded their investigations on the matter as the world is watching with deep interest on the unfolding events as it relates to the murder of young Gabriel.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Onyeka Orji, could not be reached for comments as at the time of filing this report as he was unable to pick his calls.
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