Boy, 16, step-father arrested over death, secret burial of mother

The police in Yenegoa, the Bayelsa State capital, have arrested and detained a 16-year old secondary school s‎tudent, Larry Godsgift, and his 53-year old step father, Seimukumo Aganju, over their alleged involvement in the mysterious death and secret burial of his mother in Akenpai area of the state.

The woman, 43, identified as Joyce Sawyer, was an indigene of Odi, in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Council area. She was reported to have died on March 13, in her home after a long battle with strange illnesses, which include a large sore on her leg.

The Special Anti-vice squad of the Nigerian Police arrested the duo, after family of the deceased raised the alarm, days after her disappearance.
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Reports say, the death of Madam Saw‎yer, was kept secret by the suspects, who allegedly secretly buried her behind their home, without the knowledge of other family members.

It was further gathered that attempts by the deceased’s son to prevail on the ‎stepfather to inform one of his uncles failed, as he accused his in-laws of not showing concern while the deceased was sick.

Police sources said that though the investigation team was awaiting the outcome of forensic and autopsy tests carried out on the corpse, the suspects have not been charged with any offence.

However, close family sources said the relationship between the detained husband and her in-laws have been frosty, noting however that the decision to bury their daughter against tradition and without informing them is criminal and suspicious.

It was gathered that the deeds would have gone unnoticed if not for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) required by the Verification team of the state government for all state workers.

However, the cat was let out of the bag when a friend of the deceased woman, who was a staff of a local council, came calling to alert her on the need for her to leave the sick bed and come forward to submit her BVN.

It was this juncture that it was discovered that she had died and buried without the knowledge of anyone.