Suspect arrested for defiling, killing pregnant Pastor’s Wife
A man identified only as Emeka has been apprehended by operatives of the Rivers State Police Command for the alleged rape and murder of Mrs. Chigbewejim Steward, the wife of a cleric, in Rivers State.
The suspect was captured in Abarikpo Community by officers from the Ahoada Divisional Police Headquarters of the state command.
Emeka is believed to be the prime suspect in the gang rape of Mrs. Steward, a mother of two, on February 12, 2023, in the Abarikpo community.
Mr. Lawyer Steward, the husband of the deceased pregnant woman and an assistant Pastor of Seventh Day Adventist Church in Abarikpo, confirmed the arrest of the suspect.
Steward revealed that Emeka was apprehended 15 months after allegedly orchestrating the rape and murder of his wife, noting that Emeka had previously quarreled with his wife before the tragic incident.
He said: “Yes Mr. Emeka, he is the mastermind of the death of my wife. After quarreling with my wife that morning, he claimed that my wife called him a wicked man.
“He told my wife you called me wicked man? You will see wickedness today. That night around 1 am breaking Sunday morning 12th February 2023, those bad boys came to my house and broke the door and took my wife away.
“They raped her, my wife was 5 months pregnant and they strangled her to death. Emeka, Police arrested him last week Thursday. Now he is in Police custody. I have gone there to give a statement. I want the Government to intervene so that justice will prevail.”
Recall that Steward had informed the press last year that his wife was kidnapped from their residence in Abarikpo community by suspected members of the Iceland cult and taken to their hideout, where she was gang-raped to death.
He had revealed that his wife’s body was discovered near a fishing pond several hours after her abduction, bearing multiple injuries and signs of sexual assault.
However, it was learnt that Mrs. Chigbewejim Steward was known to be outspoken in denouncing criminal and cult activities in the Abarikpo community prior to her demise.
The spokesperson for the police command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, has not confirmed the details.
Nevertheless, a senior police officer in the state, who is familiar with the matter, stated that two other suspects were apprehended alongside Emeka.
