Promise Uzoma, ‘Okirika wake-up’ dealer has been arrested by the police for allegedly robbing a businessman and raping his housemaid in Aba, Abia State.
It was also reported that Uzoma fled with N250, 000, phones and jewelleries worth N3.9m among other valuables.
Uzoma was apprehended alongside his gang member and cousin, Chukwuebuka Ogubuike by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team.
The News Cap learned that luck ran out on the suspects after the duo and other members at large attacked the businessman, Nwokebuike Augustine for a second time in his house at Umugbsi area of Aba Town, Abia State, and robbed him of his valuables including mobile phones and jewellery worth about N4.4m.
A source told our correspondent “The robbers stole gold jewellery valued at N3.9m, a sum of N250,000; Nokia and Samsung phones valued at N200,000 and expensive perfume and sneakers valued at N100,000, from Augustine’s house. Two members of the gang were arrested after weeks of investigation.”
Uzoma said “I sell cloths and footwear at Ojota Market in Lagos State. I used to buy wears at Ariaha Market, in Aba, but few months ago, my phone was stolen in Aba town while I was sleeping in one of my trips and someone took me to a native doctor who said he could prepare charms for me that would make the person who stole my phone to return it.
“I bought the phone for N70,000 and the native doctor asked me to pay N30,000 for the charm and I gave him the money, but seven days after I made the payment, the person didn’t return my phone. I went back to the native doctor and informed him that his charms didn’t work and he asked me to pay additional N7, 000 so he could consult his oracle to know why his charms didn’t work. I refused and insisted that he should refund my money and he told me that he has given my money to his gods.
“He later gave me the money which I used to place a bet but I lost. I got frustrated after I lost money to gambling then one of my friends, known as Udo approached me and told me about a robbery operation. He promised me that I would replace my lost phone after the operation and raised some money for my business.
“He told me that he once robbed the man and that the man knows him very well. When we got to the man’s compound, we met the doors open. We entered and pointed our guns at him. He gave us N250, 000 and brought out his gold jewellery because we threatened to kill him if he didn’t cooperate.
“I don’t know what came over me; I then raped his housemaid. I also wanted to rape his wife but I left her because she was a nursing mother,”
Ogubuike, an ex-inmate, said he resolved to turn a new leaf having being remanded in prison twice but was persuaded to go for the recent operation leading to his rearrest.
He stated, “I have been to prison twice. The first time was in 2017 when I bought two stolen laptops. I was arrested and spent three months in prison. After I returned from prison, one of my friends gave me links to work as a security man for a lawyer and after working for him and he refused to pay my salary, I stole his wife’s bag and his phone. I spent one month in prison and when I came out, I vowed to turn a new leaf.
“The boys who brought the job (robbery operation) told me I would make enough money from it. After the operation, I got only N100,000. It was Uzoma who raped the home help.’’