Tina Amanda
Rivers State Police Command has commenced an investigation on the alleged killing of forty-four-year-old patent medicine dealer Benedict Chukwu by his younger brother, Patrick Chukwu, at Mgbuayim community Elele-Alimini in Emohua LGA Rivers State.
The Spokesperson of Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, in response to an inquiry into the incident by our correspondent, said the matter had been reported at the Police station, and Investigation is ongoing while noting that the suspect is at large.
Late Benedict Chukwu, a patent medicine dealer (Chemist) was said to have been shot to death by his younger brother, aged forty years on Monday, 13, February 2023, over an argument as a result of family matters.
In an interview with our correspondent, Former General Secretary Elele-Alimini Community Development Committee (CDC) Joseph Asomeji, who is also related to the deceased, the suspect said the late Benedict Chukwu was denied access by his younger brother Patrick Chukwu to leave the compound before the incident happened.
“What happened in Mgbuayim autonomous community in Chukwu’s family, which happens to be my maternal home, and both were my cousins.
“That fateful day, late Benedict Chukwu returned home from his daily hustling, the family house where both of them are living. The younger brother Patrick Chukwu used chairs to block access where Benedict Chukwu was to carry his motorbike and cross.
“The deceased pleaded with his younger brother to allow him to pass with his bike into the family compound; the younger brother refused to move away the chairs from the way.
“Angrily, late Benedict used his legs to kick the chairs out of the way; then the younger brother picked up a wedge (big stick) to hit the elder brother; neighbours came out and removed the wedge from his hand, the younger brother then ran into the house picked a machete and neighbours collected the machete from him.
“As if that was not enough, the suspect Patrick Chukwu ran inside again, brought out a double barrel gun (hunter’s gun), and fired it immediately at the neck of his elder brother, who died instantly.
“The case has been officially reported to the Police, but immediately after the incident happened, the younger brother took to his heels.
“Ordinarily, if it were when the custom and tradition were active as it were, the moment the suspect committed such crime, he would have taken a rope to a place in the community to hang himself and die peacefully.
“The matter is condemnable; we actually do not know what came over him for him to have committed the offence; the fact remains that both of them are of the same parents, 44 and 40 years old. We condemn the act; anybody who commits such offence must have to face the law”
At press time, we gathered that Egbeda Police Division in Emohua LGA had visited the crime scene.
