Members of Ogharefe community in Ethiope West Local Council of Delta State, yesterday, protested what they described as the premature release of Samson, suspected of being an accomplice in the alleged killing of one Kelly Onojaiyefe.
The Guardian learnt that the 29-year-old ex-student of Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe, was, until his death, a furniture apprentice. He was reportedly stabbed several times and also hit on the head with a wooden object during a fight with another apprentice about a fortnight ago.
Sources said the deceased bled to death before he could get to the hospital on January 29, in what his family described as an organised killing by colleagues at the furniture shop in Ogharefe.
It was gathered that soon after Onojaiyefe dropped dead, the shop owner, Samson, rushed to Ogharefe Police Station, alongside another person, to lodge a report.
A source said Samson reported that the deceased fell down after he was hit with a wooden object by the man he (Samson) had brought to the station. He said the two had been fighting over who should have the right to use a charging point at the shop.
However, during a police investigation, another apprentice at the shop alleged that Samson prevented people from separating the fighters. Consequently, the police detained Samson and the other person, and transferred both to the police headquarters in Asaba, the state capital, last week.
It was learnt that the shop owner was released from the headquarters the following day, while the family of the deceased was asked to carry out an autopsy on the body.
But the release of Samson infuriated the family and youths of the community, who felt that the move would jeopardise investigations and prevent them from getting justice.
This led Police Commissioner, Abaniwonda Olufemi, to order the re-arrest of Samson, to calm the tension until investigation is concluded. Confirming the development, the spokesperson for Delta State Police Command, Bright Edafe, said the deceased was allegedly killed while fighting with a colleague at the workshop. He said one of the suspects was still in police custody.
A family source alleged that the late Onojaiyefe had, in December 2023, accused Samson of sidelining him any time he wanted to teach his apprentices new work techniques.The deceased’s uncle, Gowon Akpodonor, confirmed that he settled some issues between the late Onojaiyefe and Samson during the Christmas break.
