A 9-year-old house help, Precious korshima has been beaten to death by the woman she lived with at Fidelity Estate, Enugu State.
The alleged suspect, Mrs Ujunwa Ugwoke who has confessed to the crime said she later dumped the corpse in the bush.
In turn, a traditional ruler allegedly ordered and the decomposing body was found burnt.
In a petition to the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) through its President Tayo Omotayo Esq. is demanding justice for the deceased.
Omotayo in the petition recalled that in March 2022, a businesswoman Mrs Nelly Okoroafor who lives in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, approached the father of the deceased Mr James Achikpi Korshima (Jerry B) from Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, 37 years old, businessman and an upcoming musician for his little daughter.
She pleaded with him to give her little daughter, Miss Precious Korshima (9 years old) to train in school through her friend in Enugu, Mrs Ujunwa Ugwoke as her own little way of helping the poor Korshima and to also help Ugwuoke look after her newborn baby.
Korshima released her little daughter to Mrs Okoroafor and subsequently Precious was sent to Mrs Ujunwa Ugwuoke who lives in Fidelity Estate, Enugu.
“She was living with her until the 10th of November 2022. When Korshima received a strange phone call from an unknown caller using Mrs Ujunwa’s phone number, and claimed that they kidnapped Mrs Ugwuoke, her baby and Precious and demanded a ransom of N20m.
“Korshima said he pleaded with the alleged kidnapper that her little daughter was only a house help and that he had no means to raise such amount of money, instead he would get in touch with the family of Mrs Ujunwa.
“Korshima said he did got in touch with Mrs Ujunwa’s family and the husband who lives abroad but they all feigned ignorance of the alleged kidnap.
“However, in a bizarre turn of events Mrs Ugwoke and her own daughter were allegedly released from the kidnapper’s den and little Precious was allegedly murdered, according to Mrs Ujunwa.
“Korshima reported the matter to the New Haven Police Station Enugu. The DPO of the Station later told Korshima that the matter has been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad Enugu.
“It was after some days at the Anti-Kidnapping said that Mrs Ugwuoke admitted that she beat Precious to death and dumped the corpse off Port Harcourt Expressway immediately after the military checkpoint after the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku Ozalla Enugu State.
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“Korshima said the Police told him that when they went to the scene, they learnt that the Igwe of the community gave an order that the youth should burn the decomposing body because of the offensive smell from the body. The Igwe did this illegal act without informing security agents of the presence of the corpse in his domain.”
Omotayo narrated how Mr Korshima the father of the late Precious Korshima was accompanied to his office by Mr Terfa Kaaimo, President of the Tiv Community, Enugu State said the matter is a clear case of murder.
“We submit that this is a clear case of murder and the investigation of the case has nothing to do with the Anti-Kidnapping Base. We urge you to immediately order that a thorough investigation of this heinous crime be carried out by the Homicide section of the State Criminal and Investigation Department (State CID), of the State Police Headquarters, Enugu.
“Ujunwa Ugwuoke killed the little child in a cruel and barbaric way and dumped the corpse in the bush while the Igwe in question completed the unlawful act by ordering the burning of the corpse.
“Korshima stated that he appeals for justice because he fears that he may not get justice because he has already become frustrated after continuous visits to the Anti Kidnapping Base for over a month.
“Korshima further pray for the release of the remains of his dead child to him so that he can give the child a decent burial.
“We join Mr Korshima and Mr Terfa Kaaimo the President of the Tiv Community Enugu to demand Justice in this case. The Killers should be made to face the full wrath of the law.”
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