Police arrest tenant who allegedly raped, killed landlady in Ekiti

The police in Ekiti State have arrested a 39-year-old man, Tunmise Abraham, who allegedly killed her landlady, Mrs. Bukola Olanrewaju, after raping her to death in Ado Ekiti.

The deceased, 39-year-old tailor and mother of three, was killed last week Thursday. The command also arrested two serial rapists, Babalola Olaniyo and Olupinla Dotun, who raped a girl at Olorunda area of Ado Ekiti metropolis last week.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba, who paraded the suspects in Ado Ekiti, said Abraham was arrested at a church in Akure, Ondo State capital.

“The suspect after committing the offence ran to Akure. He took refuge in a church and that was where he was arrested. He had immediately called his family and told them why he did not come to their place, saying he had killed somebody in Ado Ekiti.

“We had already done our homework and gathered that her sister is selling chemicals. Police detectives had to trick her that they wanted to buy something from her. It was her sister who later led us to where he was,” he said, adding that all the suspects would be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

Acknowledging that he actually committed the act, Abraham said he did it out of provocation. He said the deceased had allegedly provoked him over disagreement on house rent with her husband, Mr. Raphael Olanrewaju.

He denied the accusation that he raped the landlady to death, explaining that he only hit her on the head with a big stick before making efforts to tie her hands to make her weak during a fisticuff.

“I called her that day that I wanted to leave the house after paying N23,000 in June that will last till next year May for one year rent. I said her husband needed to refund part of my rent to get another apartment, but the woman said that would never happen.

“We started arguing and she started calling me names. She abused me by calling me a stammerer, charlatan and other unprintable names, which angered me. She later held my cloth and I slapped her and pushed her away from me.

“The woman now came with a stick and I overpowered her and collected the stick, which I used to hit her on the head and she fell. Upon realising she had died, I became worried and I had to run to a church in Akure for refuge.”

The deceased’s husband, Raphael Olanrewaju, said the disagreement he had with the suspect had been resolved when he paid N23,000 house rent, comprising the new rent and backlog of debts owed.

“He had misunderstanding with my wife but it was settled. I never knew he had the intention to kill her. He killed my wife around 11:00a.m. when everybody, including me and my three kids, had left home. All I want is that the law must take its course,” he said.