Man who fled after allegedly dumping body of lover arrested

She was alive but unconscious when I took her home, says suspect
The Ilemba Hausa Division of Lagos State police command have arrested one Mr. Stephen Uwa, who fled after allegedly dumping the body of his lover, one Joy Vincent, who died in his house at Iyana Isashi area of Lagos on Thursday.

It was gathered that the body of the mother of five, who visited her boyfriend, Stephen in his house located at 8, Adeniji Street, Iyana Isashi on Sunday, March 18, was smuggled back into her one room apartment on Thursday, March 22, at about 11:00a.m. in Oshja Arigba street, Zone five in Imude area of Lagos.

The Guardian gathered that on Thursday morning, Stephen alongside three unknown persons came in a vehicle, which they parked in front of the compound. A neighbour who sells articles in the next building told him that nobody was at home.

Stephen then requested that the last son of his lover, Ikechukwu, be called from school. As soon as Ikechukwu came back Stephen collected the key from him and asked him to call his aunt who lives a few blocks away.

According to the deceased first son, Christian: “I wasn’t at home when it happened, but Ikye said Stephen came to the house with a car in the company of a man and two other women. When they drove into the compound, one of our neighbours, who sells in front of the next house told them that no one was home.

“He requested that they call my little sibling, Ikye, whose school is located in the next street. When Iyke came, he told him that my mother is sick and requested for the door key, which he collected from the neighbour.

“Immediately, Stephen told him to go and call my Aunt Esther, who lives at Alafia Street, which is about five minutes walk from our house. Before Ikye and my aunt could come back, they have driven away after laying her body on the bed and covering her with clothes to look as if she is sleeping whereas she was dead.

“My father is still alive, but my parents were separated. I still can’t believe my mother is gone as she was hail and hearty when she attended an event on Wednesday according to people who saw her.”

Narrating what happened, Esther Okereke (aka Iya Prosper) told newsmen that “immediately I got to my sister’s house, I discovered Stephen and the people that brought my sister home were nowhere to be found. I became suspicious that something was wrong. My suspicion was confirmed as soon as I entered my sister’s room and found her lifeless body covered with clothes as though she was sleeping, when she wasn’t.

“When I realized that her lifeless body was dumped inside the room, I raised the alarm, and then went to the police station to report what had happened. When we checked her handbag, we found Mist-mag, a mixture for stomach pain. She has never complained of stomachache before. What she usually complained about is leg pains, because she is huge.”

However, the suspect, Stephen Uwa, told the police that the deceased came to his house on Sunday and slept in his house on Thursday morning. She complained of stomach pain and asked him to take her to house. “As at the time I took her home she was still alive but unconscious,” he said.

The Guardian gathered that the body of Joy Vincent was deposited at the mortuary in Badagry General Hospital on Thursday, while the suspect Stephen, who fled, was arrested on Friday evening.

Confirming the report, the Lagos State police command spokesman, Chike Oti, said the suspect, 60-year-old, Stephen Uwa and two women who assisted him to take the woman home, were arrested on Friday, around 8:00p.m.

“Investigation is still ongoing, while the suspects would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) for further investigation and prosecution.
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