The Operatives of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba of the Lagos State command, Nigeria Police Force, have arrested one Mrs Nene Fortune Stephens for allegedly killing her house maid, Miss Joy Okom Adole following complaints by the deceased’s relatives that she was beaten to death by her boss.
The maid was said to have been killed at number 18 Ogundola street, Bariga area of Lagos State, which is the home of the accused, and the incident was reportedly in connection with disagreement over salary issues.
According to Okom’s elder brother, Philips Ejeh, he got information that the woman beat his sister and hung her to death for alleged theft of noodles.
“She is from Benue State and started working as a maid for the woman in order to raise money to further her education. She started the job in January through an agent.
“She complained that her boss refused to pay her and anytime she asked for her salary, she will start beating her. She was planning to quit but couldn’t leave because of the total lockdown.
“On Sunday, the woman claimed she stole noodles and started beating her to the point of hanging her to death. The madam claimed she hung herself after she was beaten. How can someone hang herself and her legs will be on the ground? “
“Instead of paying my sister for the job she has done, her boss killed her so she would not pay. The case has been reported to SCIID Panti and her body is in the mortuary.”
He added that the Late Miss Joy had earlier reported her boss’s refusal to pay her salaries, and that anytime she asked her boss for her salaries, she would literally start beating her.
But the couple denied killing the maid, insisting that she committed suicide after she was beaten for pouring dirty water in the house and stealing noodle.
It was gathered that there were apparent violent marks on the deceased’s body which made the police to doubt the suspect’s claim that the house girl committed suicide.
The couple also claimed that after beating her on Sunday afternoon, the girl refused to eat when she was given food and also denied night food. They said it was in the morning they discovered her dead body when they went to her room to find out why she has not woken up.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Bala Elkana said the woman and her husband reported at Bariga Police Station that their house girl committed suicide.
He said when detectives visited the scene of the incident and saw the position of the rope and how she hanged, they suspected a foul play as wounds were all over the deceased’s body, showing that she was tortured to death rather than committing suicide as alleged by her madam.
“When detectives visited the place and saw the position of the rope and how she hung up, they suspected a cover up. Yes, there were injuries all over her body which showed the girl has been tortured before rope was put on her neck.
“If she committed suicide as suggested by the family, how did she come about the violent marks on her body?
“The matter has transferred from Bariga to Panti for further investigation. The couple was arrested and they will charge to court as soon as the the investigation is concluded,” he said.
