Posted by Samuel on Sun 10th Jan, 2021 - tori.ng
Counsel to Beauty’s family, Gobari Deebom told journalists in Port Harcourt that the pastor refused to disclose the whereabouts of the girl during interrogation.
File photo
The aggrieved family of Beauty Nwigbaranee, a 20-year-old undergraduate, has accused a pastor of having a hand in her death.
The family accused the pastor of a new generation church, Sodje Masodje, of complicity in Beauty Nwigbaranee's death after allegedly paying him a visit the previous day.
The pastor was arrested by the Nigeria Army, 6 Division in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, after the family reported that their daughter who is the pastor’s lover visited him on December 25, 2020, but did not return two days after and could not be reached on her mobile.
The family became suspicious after the pastor who is the head of a new generation church in Eneke, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, called his lover’s family asking for her whereabouts.
Counsel to Beauty’s family, Gobari Deebom told journalists in Port Harcourt that the pastor refused to disclose the whereabouts of the girl during interrogation.
The lawyer however said her alleged disappearance was a case of suspected abduction, urging the Army to hand over the matter to the police for proper investigation.
But speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, Deebom said Beauty’s lifeless body was found at the Ahoada General Hospital mortuary in Rivers State.
He queried the information that the girl died in an accident, saying there was no trace of injury on her corpse.
Deebom said, “We discovered her dead body. Somebody that died through a motor accident, would there not be bruises or wounds on the person’s body? Even if it is internal bleeding, there must be a wound somewhere.
“They said there was a collision with two vehicles. They only saw one vehicle and the vehicle they saw also belonged to the pastor; and police said the second vehicle involved in the accident was damaged beyond repair. If a vehicle is damaged beyond repair, where did you keep it? Will it not form part of the investigation?
He said a family member who saw Beauty’s corpse at the hospital alerted the family. The late Beauty’s sister told Sunday PUNCH that her sister had been dating the pastor for some time.
When contacted, spokesman for the state police command, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed Beauty’s death, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, had ordered a full-scale investigation into the matter to unravel the cause of her death to apprehend anyone found culpable.
Omoni added, “Yes, we are aware of the matter. They were before the Commissioner of Police the other day where the CP ordered an investigation into the matter and appealed to all parties to maintain restraint until we are able to conclude our investigation.
“Whatever our findings are will be made public. So far we have been able to locate the corpse of the girl and ‘accident’ vehicles have also been sighted. Investigation will reveal what really happened. We assure the public that at the end of the day justice will be served. All the parties will get justice, including the late girl. She will get justice based on what the CP has put in place. Nobody will be spared from the long arm of the law.”