The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested a 35-year-old landlord for the murder of a three-month-old baby at Amassoma community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the suspect identified as Oyeinmiebi Selekowei allegedly murdered the three-month-old baby of his tenant, Oscar Pere because the latter tried to rescue a woman believed to be the landlord’s mother from being assaulted by her son.
Reports say the suspect, angry at his tenant’s interference, threatened to deal with him and kill his child.
A complaint lodged by Mr. Pere with the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT), Bayelsa, said the suspect transferred the aggression he had for him to his child.
Pere, a youth pastor with the Redeemed Christian of Church of God (RCCG), noted that the suspect had held his child upside down and hit the back of the child’s head against a door until the baby died.
It was also gathered that relatives of the suspect had pleaded with him to settle with the father of the deceased amicably.
However, it was revealed that Pere had told GRIT officials that he did not want to be involved in any case against his child’s killer.
“I told you to let God fight because vengeance belongs to God. I will not want to offend my God by doing things outside his will,” he said
Meanwhile, through GRIT, the Bayelsa State Government said it is ready to support the legal processes that will lead to the prosecution of the suspect.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, GRIT State Chairman, Dise Sheila Ogbise described the act as cruel and criminal against the state.
According to her, “The Government of Governor Douye Diri has declared zero tolerance to all forms of violence, especially gender-based violence, and this case will not be an exception.”
On her part, GRIT Head of Legal, Debra Pamosoo, said the complaint lodged at the GRIT secretariat by the father of the deceased is criminal.
She noted that if the alleged offender is found guilty by the court of law, the punishment will be a death sentence.
“See Section 319 Criminal Code Of Bayelsa State. It suffices also to say that the alleged offense by the landlord is a breach of the fundamental constitutional right to life of the three months old baby,” she said.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed that the accused landlord is in the custody of the State Criminal Intelligence Department (SCID) undergoing investigations.
