Joy Anyim
A middle-aged woman, Mrs. Steven Fortune, and her husband, are in trouble, for allegedly killing their 19-year-old maid, Adole Joy, in the Gbagada area of Lagos State.
The deceased, an indigene of Ukpa Oju Local Government Area of Benue State had only served the couple for four months, before her untimely death.
The deceased was found with her neck tied to a ceiling fan in a room at her employer’s house, on April 20, 2020, presupposing suicide.
However, elder brother of the deceased, Adole John, who spoke on her death, claimed Fortune and her husband had beaten his sister to death and made it look like a suicide act.
According to John, one Blessing, and Johnson, who are agents, brought his sister from Ibadan, Oyo State to Lagos State to work for the couple as a maid.
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John, who said he did not know of the arrangement said, “ I did not know my sister was in Lagos, until the ugly incident. I last heard she was in Ibadan, where she was working and also schooling.
“It was after her death that I heard she had left her employer at Ibadan for Lagos. I heard she got the job through a lady called Sister Blessing, who connected her to an agent, Johnson. It was Johnson who got her the job at Gbagada. ”
While insisting Joy’s death was a clear case of murder, John said eyewitness had told him how Mrs. fortune and her husband perpetrated the heinous crime.
John continued, “She only worked for that couple from January 10th to April 10th, 2020.
“She told them she did not want to work for them again and requested for her salary. The couple had refused to pay her until in April 19, when they finally paid her.
“It was late that day and when she packed her things and left to get a bus, she could not find one due to the lockdown.
“She went back to her employer’s house and sat outside the gate. Her master spotted her sitting outside the gate and called the attention of his wife.
“She came out and started questioning my sister. She asked what was in one of her bags, and she even dragged the bag from her and found noodles.
“She started shouting that my sister had stolen her noodles.
“She dragged her into the house and started searching all her bags. Mrs. Fortune also claimed she stole her books, cloths and gold necklace.
“She and her husband started beating her, and I guess when they discovered she was dead, they tied her neck to a ceiling fan in a room and went to call the police, saying Joy killed herself.
“There are marks all over my late sister’s body to prove she was murdered. All I want is for the police to investigate this mater, and give us justice. We need justice.”
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Similarly, a detective at the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (SCIID), Yaba, suggested the hanging may be constructive.
The detective whose identity cannot be mentioned said, “We are suspecting murder. The deceased had mark of violence all over her body. Mrs Fortune had beaten the deceased with cane and the marks were there. But only an autopsy will tell the actually cause of death.”
Confirming the incident, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Elkana Bala stated that the couple had been arrested by the police and are currently in custody, pending the outcome of investigation.
Bala said, “The madam and her husband came to the Bariga Police Division to report that their maid committed suicide.
“When the homicide detectives went there, they found her standing straight, her legs were standing well on the ground, while her neck was tired to a ceiling fan.
“On her back were fresh injury, and the madam and her husband admitted to have beaten her.
“It was likely a murder they tried to cover up, with suicide. The corpse had been deposited at the morgue for autopsy, and investigation is ongoing.”
