Ms Patience Komone and her alleged 17-year-old killer, Onoriode Simon Akpoavirhi.

By Jethro Ibileke

Ms Patience Komone, a 50-year-old woman who was declared missing by her family has been found dead.

Her decomposing body of the woman was found on Tuesday, in a bush at Umeh community of Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Investigations by Niger Delta Today (NDT), an online news platform, revealed that the deceased was allegedly murdered by a 17-year-old boy identified as Onoriode Simon Akpoavirhi.

It was gathered that investigation by Umeh community youths led to the discovery that the deceased was last seen with the suspect.

Following interrogation by the community youths the suspect confessed that he took the woman to a pepper farm with his motorcycle under the guise of wanting to sell fresh pepper to her.

The suspect allegedly further confessed that he stole the deceased’s money after killing her to buy some musical instrument.

“The suspect confessed to Umeh community youths that he killed the woman. According to the suspect, he took the woman to a pepper farm in the bush to enable the woman buys fresh pepper directly from the farm not knowing that the he had a different agenda.

“It was at the location he took the woman where he killed her and thereafter stole her money and other belongings which he used to immediately to buy musical instruments. He was handed over to police in Oleh by the community. We’ve never experienced this kind of crime Umeh”, one of the community youths told NDT.

A relation of the deceased confirmed the discovery of the decomposing body of the deceased on Tuesday evening.

“It’s all over. They’ve found her decomposing body in Umeh (where she had gone for market on Tuesday).

“They tracked the prime suspect, Okada man, who was last seen taking her from the market that Tuesday,” he said.

Also confirming the incident, a prominent leader of Umeh community, Chief Duncan Afahokor, said the suspect was arrested by youths in the community who saw the deceased with the suspect.

While condemning the incident, Chief Afahokor assured that Umeh community will work with the family of the deceased to ensure that justice is served in the case.

“It’s a taboo in the community. The community will collaborate with the family of the deceased to ensure that justice is done in the case. This is an abomination. I’m heartbroken by this despicable development.

“This gruesome murder is alien to Umeh people hence the suspect was speedily investigated and arrested before being handed over to the police without any attempt to cover it up.

“Umeh people are very hospitable, but this bad element has brought us shame. We’ll never harbour criminals in our community hence we will ensure that justice must be served in this case to deter other criminal elements. We commiserate with the family of the deceased,” Afahokor added.

Ms Patience, a native of Otughievwen in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state, was declared missing on Tuesday 27 July after attending the popular foodcrop market in Umeh, an agrarian community along the Ughelli/Patani section of the East-West Road.

The Delta Police spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed the discovery of the decomposing body of the woman to NDT, but could not give details.

He added that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of the woman.