A 38-year-old man, John Christopher, who allegedly beat his wife to death in Edo state for refusing to lend him money to pay a debt claimed she insulted him.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that Christopher was arrested by the police for allegedly beating his wife, Mrs. Isoken to death for allegedly refusing to offer him N2,000 loan.
According to the eldest of his three children, Augustine, his father called their mother on phone to demand N2, 000 loan and started beating the deceased as he returned home around 9 pm when the money was not quickly given to him.
“I tried to give my mother paracetamol and drinking water after the initial beating but my father threw them away. She then went to bathe after which she lied down outside to rest a little before coming inside to sleep but my father locked us inside the room and resumed the beating of my weak mother outside.
“Neighbours later helped us (the three children) to open the door, only to see our dead mother on the ground. She was then rushed to two different hospitals in the neighbourhood where she was confirmed dead,” he said.
The suspect, a waste management truck driver told Standard Gazette, that his wife is “selfish and rude” for refusing to give him the money.
“I am a waste management truck driver in Benin city and have been married to my wife for thirteen years now. We have three children, and the first child is twelve,’ the suspect said.
“On the 26th day of June 2021, l returned from work around 8 pm and begged my wife to give me the sum of N1,500 so l can add my N500 to make it N2,000 to pay a local debt in the neighbourhood.”
“But my wife refused, and the next thing I saw was that she collected Television remote to change the TV channel. So I stopped her, and she started insulting me. That was how I used my trouser belt to hit her, and she collapsed. The neighbour rushed her to the hospital where she died.” he added.
It was learnt that Christopher attempted to run after realizing his wife had died but was apprehended by the residents.
He was then handed over to the police at Textile Mill road in Benin city, who handed him over to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Edo state police command for further investigation.