Police arrest members of gang that killed couple

A robbery gang member, Timothy Ajayi, on Thursday admitted that his gang robbed and killed a couple , Mr. Micheal Akhigbe (65) and Juana (60), at the Fate Area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Ajayi, who also owned up to raping the woman, added that other gang members later killed the couple.

Another member of his gang, Adeyemi Aderinkomi, also confirmed that Ajayi raped the woman.

Ajayi, Aderemi and their accomplices were paraded on Thursday for conspiracy, rape, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

Other suspects were also paraded for allegedly being members of a fraudulent recruitment syndicate.

Ajayi said, “I became a robber because of financial problem. I regret it. I have only tried to dupe one person, but I was not successful. I am a teacher. I admit that I raped the woman.”

Adeyemi said the couple did not offend them, adding that they robbed the family after they were informed that the couple had important documents in their possession.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusola Amore, said a family member of the deceased, Mr. Bernard John, on December 21, 2016, reported at the ‘F’ division, Tanke, Ilorin, that he visited the house of the deceased to convey him to work, only for him to discover that the couple were nowhere to be found.

The CP stated that on the strength of the report, police detectives visited the house and found bloodstains in the room of the couple.

He added that a search in the compound led the detectives to where the bodies of the deceased were.

He explained that the couple’s bodies were found in a well on the premises, adding that the corpses had been recovered.

Amore said, “Investigation led to the arrest of Aderinkomi and Ajayi, who were the masterminds of the crime.

“They confessed to the crime. Ajayi also confessed to raping the woman before they killed her and her husband, carting away their property, which included one Toyota Camry, two mobile phones, among others.

“The suspects sold some of the stolen items to Akingbade Ademila and Toyose Alade, who had been arrested.

“To cover their track, they set the Toyota Camry ablaze. They confessed to have dumped the victims in the well to prevent detection. The exhibits were recovered from the receivers, while efforts are on to arrest other suspects on the run. They will soon be charged to court.”