Tragic events unfolded in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, as a domestic servant reportedly killed his employer using a pestle. The victim, Chima Anolue, a lecturer at the Psychology Department of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, was attacked during a confrontation with the servant.

The incident occurred on the night of July 14, 2023, in Ifite village, Awka.

According to reports, after rendering Anolue unconscious, the suspect bruised his body with a knife, seemingly attempting to create the illusion of an attack by a third party. Local security personnel apprehended the suspect, who later admitted to repeatedly striking his late boss with the pestle. The altercation began when Anolue questioned the servant about his unfinished household duties.

The suspect offered his account of the events, stating, “When he came back, he told me to cook rice. And as I was cooking the rice, he asked me why I did not wash plates. I did not reply. He then asked why I wasn’t responding to his question. In the process, he slapped me. But I told him I usually have ear problems, and that people don’t slap me. As I was saying that, he angrily asked if I was still talking while he was talking. And therefore, he slapped me again and brought out a cane, and started flogging me all over. Then in the process, I got angry, and we started

fighting. It was also in the process of that fight that I picked up the pestle in the kitchen and hit him on the head.”

Initially denying his involvement, the suspect eventually confessed to the crime during interrogation, after facing severe physical abuse when his actions raised suspicion.

A family source revealed a chilling detail of the incident, stating, “While friends and relatives of the deceased were taking him to the hospital that night for medical attention after the encounter, the suspect was attempting to choke him to death right inside the vehicle where he was sitting close to him, allegedly to conceal his atrocious acts. It was in the process that we discovered what was going on, and therefore we started suspecting him. As that was going on also, the victim, who was still alive then, used his last strength to mention the suspect’s name before he finally gave up the ghost.”

The suspect, hailing from the Abakaliki area of Ebonyi State, has been handed over to the Awka division of the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation, while the deceased, Chima Anolue, has been transferred to the morgue for an autopsy. The shocking incident has prompted an outpouring of grief on social media, with friends and colleagues expressing their condolences and mourning the loss of a talented and respected individual.

It is a deeply distressing tragedy that highlights the importance of ensuring safety and well-being within our homes, emphasizing the need for vigilance and thorough background checks when hiring domestic help.

Source: Punch