From GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri
Paul Oparaugo and one of his sons, Ogbenna Victor, are now gnashing their teeth in the cell of the Homicide Department of the Imo State Police Command, Owerri, following their arrest for allegedly stabbing Mr. Udochukwu Iwuoha, who was their tenant, to death.
Oparaugo, from Umurorojo community in Owerri Municipal Council Area of Imo, who was working as a security guard with a new generation bank, had fled the community with the entire members of his family after allegedly killing the tenant, who had concluded plans to hold his traditional marriage rites on Friday.
One of the close neighbours of Oparaugo, name withheld, told Sunday Sun that the deceased was engaged in the fabrication of aluminum doors and windows.
Sunday Sun learnt that the deceased Iwuoha was an artisan, who hailed from Agbaja in Nwangele Council Area of the state.
Recounting what led to death of the deceased, he said: “The incident happened on Wednesday when Udochukwu told Paul Nwachukwu Oparaugu who is a security guard at a branch of a bank (name withheld) to stop rearing chickens behind his apartment. He had complained of the smell and noise of the chickens, which he said was affecting his health.
Oparaugo was incensed by the temerity of the tenant, who he described in a pejorative manner. Rather than take into consideration the complaints made by Udochukwu, Oparaugo and his family members took it as an insult. That same night between the 9 and 10 pm, the family descended on the hapless tenant and beat him up before stabbing him. Then all of them fled.
Even one Godspower, a neighbor, who had come to rescue him was himself stabbed on one of his hands.
He added: “Paul Oparaugo and five of his six children – Chiemezie, Ndubuisi, Ugochinyere, Chidera and Deborah with the exception of Michael the last born, the rest actively participated in the beating and stabbing to death of Udochukwu because they made sure that he was dead before they left him alone.”
Ugochukwu further revealed that Oparaugo and members of the family have always been rascally and most people in the community avoid them.
Also, John Ibe, another neighbour said all the hospitals, where the deceased was taken for urgent medical treatment insisted that a police report must be provided before he could be admitted because of the severity of his wounds. He died in the process because they could not obtain a police report.
Imo Police Commissioner Chris Ezike said the case was a serious one and that the command had intensified efforts to arrest the remaining suspects still at large.
He said that the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department and the Owerri Urban Police Division were working together, adding that the family would be charged for murder.