Posted by By MATTHIAS NWOGU, Aba on
The Achiruhu family in Abiriba, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, is yet to recover from the shock of the mysterious death of their promising son, Mr. Uche Achiruhu and his wife, Cecilia, after eating a meal of rice in their No 18, Achi Avenue, Ogbor Hill, Aba.
The Achiruhu family in Abiriba, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, is yet to recover from the shock of the mysterious death of their promising son, Mr. Uche Achiruhu and his wife, Cecilia, after eating a meal of rice in their No 18, Achi Avenue, Ogbor Hill, Aba.
Mr. Uche Achiruhu, a graduate of Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri, Imo State, who, like most young men from Abiriba, opted for business and runs a mobile phone shop on Cameroon road Aba, had rounded off the day's business and went home to share the comfort and love of his family without knowing that death was lurking around.
His wife, had prepared a rice meal said to be the husband's best dish, with the assistance of the maid, who had lived with them for sometime. The woman dished the food and asked the maid to serve it. The maid, it was gathered poisoned the food for the Achiruhus.
No sooner had they finished the meal than the couple started having some discomfort. Suspecting nothing, husband and wife resorted to prayer but became apprehensive when their kids, who partook of the meal with them started vomiting.
Mr. Achiruhu allegegly phoned his pastor to come over and pray with them as theywere experiencing a 'spiritual attack". The pastor, Daily Sun learnt, asked them to pray while he prayed for them in his own house as it was already too late to come over to their house. Before dawn, the couple died and their kids were unconscious.
Recounting the incident to Daily Sun, Chief Kalu Ijekpa, head of the Achiruhu family in Aba, said he only knew about the death of the couple on Thursday evening over 18 hours after it happened.
He said that the only person who knew exactly what happened was the 13-year-old maid, adding that the girl stayed indoors with the corpses of her master and mistress throughout the night till about 4pm when she raised alarm.
He said that when interrogated, the maid claimed that all the ingredients they used in the cooking, including the meat, were from the stock in the house. She also said that the only person who quarreled with his boss were those who sunk the bore hole for him and who threatened to deal with them because of a little misunderstanding that developed.
'We decided to take the vomit and a sample of the water to NAFDAC, but was told they only have chemicals to test pure water and not borehole. We were about to exonerate her, considering her age, but the police insisted that she must go to the station to enter her report. It was there she gave the bombshell, confessing that she administered a poison in the food. She also revealed that she did not eat her own food as she was feeling dizzy and dozed off before she could take her food," Chief Ijekpo said
Meanwhile, the police have arrested the cashier of the late Mr. Achiruhu who brought the maid from Nkporo where she hails from. It was gathered that when the couple died, the maid allegedly informed the cashier simply known as Blessing, who allegedly contacted the relations of the deceased in one of the West African countries before the relations in Aba knew of what happened.
At the Ogbor Hill Divisional Police headquarters on Azuka road, a senior police officer confirmed the incident and the arrests, but said the matter has been referred to Police headquarters, Umuahia for further investigation.
Confirming the story, the Abia State Police Commissioner, Mr. Sampson Wudah, said the police has started investigation into the matter.