Posted by By BONIFACE NZAMA, Calabar on
A man in Ikot Ansa, Calabar, the Cross River State capital, has allegedly killed his pregnant wife with deadly punches and slaps over money for baby wears and other post-natal items.
A man in Ikot Ansa, Calabar, the Cross River State capital, has allegedly killed his pregnant wife with deadly punches and slaps over money for baby wears and other post-natal items.
The incident has brought the 10-year old marriage to a tragic end, with the man who was identified as Anietie Owonam now cooling his heels at the Homicide Department of the State Police Headquarters, Diamond Hill in Calabar.
Autopsy result carried out on the slain woman was said to have revealed that Mrs. Rose Utsu Owonam died of stomach and brain hemorrhage, occasioned by deadly blows which the man allegedly unleashed on her.
Sources at Asim Ita Street, Ikot Ansa residence of the couple told Sunday Sun that what culminated in the deadly fight, started when the woman demanded for money to procure baby wears, beverages and other unnecessary post-natal items as she was said to be on the verge of delivery.
Following her demand, Mr. Anietie was said to have offered to provide N5,000 which the woman allegedly rejected, saying that the money was grossly inadequate.
Trouble started when the woman rejected the N5,000, provoking a furious reaction from the man, who was said to be a staff of NNPC Tank Farm at the Calabar Export Free Zone.
One Heline Utsu, who identified herself as elder sister to the deceased, said: 'Grace, my younger sister, staying with them said, as Rose rejected the sum of N5,000 offered by Anietie, the man abused her that God should punish her and the baby in her womb."
According to Heline, as fight ensued, Anietie allegedly hit the woman on her stomach and head, and she immediately slumped, gasping for breath.
She said Rose died on her way to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, about 18 hours after the fight.
'This incidentally resulted in a fight, and as they were fighting, Anietie hit her stomach and head, so she collapsed and became unconscious," she stated.
Utsu further said: 'It was some of their neighbours who came to the scene that attempted to revive her, but she was very weak from morning till night when the matter started getting out of hand, before some people decided that she should be taken to the hospital."
Although efforts to reach the suspect yielded no result, a source at Asim Ita Street, one Etim Okon, said Anietie had requested for a vehicle from his place of work to take the wife to hospital, but the company failed to release the vehicle until it was about 11a.m.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Tom Adama Okpene, was not available at the State Police Headquarters, but some senior officers who were privy to information concerning the incident, said the suspect was already arrested and investigation had commenced on the matter.