The boyfriend of murdered nursing student, Wendy Achumba, remains in police custody as investigations into her killing continue, the Imo State Police Command confirmed on Wednesday.
The command had earlier announced the arrest of two suspects, Onyema Okonkwo and Emmanuel Onyekachi, over the killing of the 21-year-old student of Our Lady of Mercy Nursing School, Umulogho, in the Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State.
Confirming the development to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, disclosed that the victim’s boyfriend (name withheld) would remain in custody pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
According to him, anyone found innocent would be released after forensic and other investigative procedures had been concluded.
Okoye stated, “Preliminary investigations are still ongoing. We have sent evidence recovered from the scene of the crime to the laboratory for analysis. We are still expecting the results of fingerprints and other forensic examinations.
“Once we confirm that Wendy’s boyfriend is not involved, we will release him and every other person found to be innocent.”
Sources privy to the case claimed that the boyfriend was the person who initially reported the incident to the police but was later detained as a prime suspect during the early stage of investigations.
Until her death last Thursday, Achumba was reportedly undergoing post-basic midwifery training at Our Lady of Mercy Nursing School, Obowo.
Meanwhile, the police spokesperson disclosed that one of the arrested suspects, Onyema Okonkwo, allegedly confessed to raping and killing the victim.
Okoye noted that Okonkwo also implicated Emmanuel Onyekachi as an accomplice, alleging that both men raped the victim before killing her after she recognised them.
The police spokesperson stated that the suspects had since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.
Okoye had noted, “Operatives of the Obowo Divisional Police Headquarters, in collaboration with community stakeholders, arrested two suspects allegedly connected with the rape and murder of Wendy Achumba, a 21-year-old post-basic nursing student of Mercy College of Nursing Science, Umulogho, whose lifeless body was discovered in her off-campus residence at Umuadara, Umulogho, in Obowo LGA.
“She was reportedly the only occupant of the house, as the owner resides abroad, while her two neighbours, who are also nursing students, were away on hospital training outside Obowo.
“The suspects, Onyema Okonkwo, 32, and Emmanuel Onyekachi, 25, both indigenes of Umuadara, Umulogho, were arrested following sustained intelligence-led investigations carried out in synergy with community stakeholders.
“During interrogation, Onyema Okonkwo allegedly confessed to killing the victim after repeatedly raping her in an attempt to conceal the crime. He also implicated Emmanuel Onyekachi in the incident.”
However, a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that upon arrival at the Imo State Police Command headquarters, Okonkwo allegedly changed his earlier statement and told investigators he acted alone while requesting the release of Onyekachi.
The source added that this might have contributed to the continued detention of the victim’s boyfriend as investigations intensify.
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