The Imo Police Command has arrested Onyekachi Anele, a 36-year-old father-of-two, for mistakenly murdering his wife, Chikodi, 32, after returning from a vigil, The Sun reports. Trouble allegedly started on June 1, 2016, when Chikodi, 32, asked him to give her son from an earlier marriage, N100 to take to school.
Anele said: “I got married to Chikodi over four years ago. She had a son for another man before we got married. We have been living together in peace. On May 31, 2016, I went to my church, Jesus Disciples Fellowship, where we had a vigil. I came back around 5: 30 am and started playing Christian music.
My wife came to where I was and said that I should give my stepson N100 naira to go to school. I told her that I had no money with me. You see, my late wife was hypertensive; she became very angry that I did not give my stepson N100. She started to insult me.
I got angry and slapped her. She slapped me in return. I was shocked by her effrontery and slapped her a second time. She fell down and fainted. I rushed her to City Hospital, Nekede. On getting there, the doctor checked her and confirmed that she was dead.
I went to the nearby police station at Umuguma and reported the matter to the police and they arrested me. I love my wife. I had no intention to kill her. It was misunderstanding and annoyance that prompted me to slap her and she died. Up till now, it looks like a dream and a mystery to me.”
In an interview with The Sun, a neighbor, Chukudi Eneka said, “They both loved each other; they were a good family. The devil just caused this thing. Suddenly we heard them quarrelling. The husband slapped the wife and the wife slapped him back. The husband then slapped her again. She fell down and fainted. We thought it was a joke. When she was taken to the hospital, the doctor said she was dead. We are shocked over the incident.”
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, where Onyekachi has been in detention as investigation continues.
