man arrested for raping pastor’s 5 months pregnant wife to death in rivers state

Police in Rivers State have apprehended a suspect named Emeka, accused of leading a gang that brutally raped and killed Mrs. Chigbewejim Steward, the wife of an Assistant Pastor, in the Abarikpo community, Ahoada East Local Government Area. The incident occurred on February 12, 2023.

According to reports, Emeka had an altercation with Mrs. Steward earlier that day. Later that night, he and his gang allegedly broke into her home, abducted her, and transported her to an undisclosed location. Emeka reportedly fled the community after learning that the police were pursuing him.

Mrs. Steward’s husband, an Assistant Pastor with the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Abarikpo, confirmed Emeka’s arrest. He recounted how Emeka, following a dispute where Mrs. Steward called him a “wicked man,” threatened her and returned with accomplices to kidnap her around 1 a.m. They reportedly raped and strangled her, despite her being five months pregnant. Her body was discovered with severe injuries near a fishing pond several hours after her abduction.

Pastor Steward, in his statement to the media, thanked the police for their efforts and called for governmental intervention to ensure justice is served. He also alleged that Emeka and his gang are affiliated with the cult group ‘Iceland,’ and that they took his wife to their hideout where the heinous crime was committed.

Rivers State Police Command spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko was contacted but had not provided an official statement at the time of reporting. However, a senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that aside from Emeka, two other suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime by the Ahoada Police Division.

Mrs. Steward was known for her outspoken stance against criminal and cult activities in her community. Her tragic death has shocked the local populace, prompting calls for swift and decisive justice.