A 25-year-old housemaid, Dominion Okoro, has in Benin confessed to killing Madam Maria Igbinedion, the 85-year-old mother of a former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion.
Narrating how she carried out the act on December 2, Dominion, who was arrested in her hometown in Calabar, Cross River State, said she hit her late boss in the head with a stool while she slept.
The suspect, who spoke while being paraded at Edo State Police Command Headquarters in Benin, disclosed that she made away with N100,000, a wristwatch and jewellery from the GRA residence of the Igbinedions.
Dominion said she hit the stool on the woman’s head to prevent her from raising alarm when she saw stealing.
The suspected killer said that she hurriedly packed her belongings and ran to stay with her elder sister in Cross River State when she discovered that the woman had died.
She narrated;
I am here because I killed somebody. Nothing happened between us. My madam and I never had any quarrel. I have been with my madam for one year and three months before this thing happened. I killed mama to carry her money. She did not offend me. While she was sleeping on her bed, around 12.01am on December 2, 2021, I used a stool to hit her in the head and she shouted for help; but only the gateman was around and he did not hear the shout. Mama later died.
Dominion stated;
I waited till 4am on December 2, 2021, before leaving the house with mama’s N100,000, wristwatch and jewellery. I ran to stay with my elder sister in Cross River but I was later arrested by the police.
The deceased was buried in Benin on December 10.
The prime suspect’s elder sister, Patience, was first arrested by the police, before Dominion was nabbed and moved to Benin for investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Philip Ogbadu, disclosed that over 20 persons were arrested by the police in a determined effort at getting the prime suspect.
He added that the command in its fourth quarter, arrested 427 suspects, recovered 32 sophisticated weapons, 420 cartridges, 18 vehicles.
Ogbadu also said the suspects were arrested for various crimes ranging from kidnapping, murder, stealing and cultism, adding that with the arrest made thus far and other security measures put in place, the state is in for a hitch-free festive season.
He noted that all the suspects would be charged to court.
