Women protest rape, ritual killing of 72-year-old woman in Anambra community…

Commercial activities in the Umunze Community in Orumba South local government area of Anambra on Tuesday, shut down when women numbering over 3,0000 took to the streets protesting the murder of a 72-year-old woman Mrs Charity Okoli by three suspected ritualists alleged to be indigenes of Abakaliki in Ebony State.

Recall that last week, the late Charity Okoli had her breasts, finger, tongue and private part harvested while alive after the three suspected ritualists had raped her at her home.

But luck ran out for one of them who under the influence of hard drugs could not escape from the security operatives but hid under the woman’s bed and was caught in the process.

The suspect according to police reports has already confessed to the crime adding that they are a gang of five that resides in the neighbouring Ezira community before the incident but are now at large.

The protesting women with green leaves and placards also demanded a mass exit of all Abakiliki Indigenes out of Umunze town for the atrocious and condemnable killing of Mrs Charity who was raped and murdered two weeks ago after the suspect harvested her private part, tongue and two nipples of her breasts for money making rituals.

Already, the prime suspect is cooling off his heels at the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID) of the Anambra State Police Command in Awka while two others are on the run.

The women took their complaints to the Umunze Area police command headquarters, the palace of His Royal Highness, Igwe Promise N. Eze and the Transition Committee Chairman of the local government Hon Neville Uchendu as well as other relevant bodies.

They expressed bitterness over the unbearable and hostile activities of Abakiliki Indigenes in the area who according to them allegedly indulge in many crimes including charging outrageous bills for manual labour, rape of young girls and other heinous crimes.

The women further called on the authorities to wade into the dangerous and unbecoming attitude of their guests as they have outlived their usefulness and must therefore leave for peace to return to the area.

The President General of the Umunze Progressives Union, Chief Hippolite Uchechukwu Olua who addressed the women commended them for their peaceful conduct and urged them to go about their protest in peace as their complaints would be given prompt attention by the police and other relevant authorities.

Traditional Ruler of the Umunze community Igwe Promise Eze, on his part, lamented that his subjects have suffered so much in the hands of the Abakaliki people who came to the town to do farm work and other jobs.

He noted that the victim died due to loss of blood which made her to be unconscious after she was rushed to the hospital in Amawbia where she later died, a development that angered everybody.

The monarch however urged the people of the area to remain calm as police and leaders of the community are working round the clock to ensure that justice is done at the end of the day.