The Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Sunday Babaji, has said the late 26-year-old National Youth Service Corps member, Terungwa Stephanie, was allegedly killed from exposure to a corrosive substance.
The commissioner disclosed this while parading three suspects in connection to her death at the FCT Police Command on Monday in Abuja.
The suspects are: Jenifer Tsembe ‘f’, 26, Monday Simon (a.k.a Black) ‘m’, 36, and Solomon Abu ‘m’, 35.
Babaji revealed that the suspects conspired to kidnap the victim in order for Jennifer to have her alleged lover, one Edward Achadu, all to herself.
He said, “Our investigation revealed that the suspects criminally conspired and murdered the victim to separate her from Edward Achadu so that Jennifer Tsembe, one of the suspects and an estranged lover of Edward, could have him all to herself, especially for pecuniary benefits.
Tsembe told The Punch that she only conspired to abduct Jennifer and demand ransom from Achadu, but had no intention to kill her.
She also alleged that one of the other male suspects, Solomon, initiated the plan of the abduction.
However, the other suspects confessed that Tsembe, who is friends with the deceased, had conceived the plan for the deceased to come to her house where she requested their help to tie her upon her arrival. They alleged that after they had played their part, Tsembe instructed them to go away leaving the suspect, deceased and her child behind.
Simon said after he left, Tsembe had called him to say she needed help with the body because the deceased had died. Black, however, alleged that the suspect had already bathed her with acid by the time he arrived at the scene.
The Police commissioner, thereafter, said the Command had intensified investigation to reveal facts that could lead to further arrests of any other fleeing participant(s) in the criminal act.
He said, “The suspects will be charged to court. The command has intensified investigation to reveal facts that could lead to the arrest of any other fleeing participant(s) in the criminal act.
Terungwa Stephanie went missing after she reportedly left home with her one year plus five-months-old son on April 14, 2022, and never returned. Her son was later recovered at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church upon a call placed through to one of the paternal relatives a day after.
