Woman allegedly beats maid to death, claims suicide

A woman, Nene Steve, has been arrested by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of the Lagos State police command for allegedly killing her maid, Joy Adole Aboel. Steve, who is a resident of No. 18, Ogundola Street, Bariga, Lagos, was accused of beating her maid (Aboel) to death and then went ahead to hang her in order to make it look like a suicide action.

It was gathered that the suspects were arrested on Wednesday by detectives following a complaint lodged by the suspects at the station. The couple had gone to the station to report the death of their house-help who, according to them committed suicide.

It was further gathered that contrary to their claims, homicide detectives, on arrival at the scene discovered that the deceased was still standing while a rope was hanging on her neck, which made the suspect’s story suspicious.

Speaking on the incident, Aboel’s elder brother, Philips Ejeh, hinted that Aboel was an indigene of Benue State and was brought to Lagos through an agent for domestic work. He said: “The deceased was an indigene of Benue brought to Lagos through an agent. She started working with her madam as a maid in January this year.

“She reported that her boss refused to pay her and anytime she asked for her salary, she would start beating her. She was making an attempt to leave the place, but due to the lockdown, there was no choice for her than to stay behind. But on Sunday, her boss said she caught her while stealing one Indomie noodle and this led to a serious beating before her master hung her to death.

“But the madam claimed she hung herself after having beaten her. How can someone hang herself and her legs will be on the ground? My sister engaged herself for the job so that she can be able to further her education. Now her madam has killed her maybe because she doesn’t want to pay her salary. As I’m talking to you now, the case has been reported to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, while the police have deposited her body in the mortuary for autopsy.”

The spokesman of the Lagos police command, DSP Bala Elkana, has confirmed the incident. Elkana said Steve and her husband were at Bariga Police Station to report that their house girl had committed suicide. He said when detectives visited the place and saw the position of the rope with which Aboel allegedly hung herself, and her position, they suspected a foul play.

This was in addition to the fact that she had injuries all over her body, adding that this was an indication she may have been tortured to death and not that she committed suicide.

“Police moved on with their investigation and found a lot of signs of violence on her body, that she has been tortured before she put the rope on her neck. If it were to be ordinary suicide, how come wound and signs of beating are all over her body?”

Elkana added that the police had removed the body and deposited it in the mortuary for an autopsy to ascertain the cause of the death.

Meanwhile, the matter has been transferred from Bariga police station to Panti for further investigation, while the couple has been arrested. Elkana said they would be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.