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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has shed more light on the death of Stephanie Terungwa, the female National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member, who was found dead days after she went missing.
Terungwa and her one-year-old son were last seen in Lokogoma area of Abuja on April 14, 2022.
The news of her death had sent shock wave across the country, with the NYSC management confirming that her corpse was found in Maitama area of Abuja.
In a statement, Eddy Megwa, NYSC’s Director, Press and Public Relations, gave a chilling account of how Stephanie’s body was found dressed in NYSC Khaki trousers.
“The corpse was found wearing the NYSC khaki trouser with the face defaced beyond recognition,” Megwa had said.
Weeks after the tragic incident, the police announced that three suspects had been arrested.
The suspects were identified as Jenifer Tsembe, a 26-year-old female; Monday Simon (aka Black) a 36-year-old male; and Solomon Abu, a male of about 35 years of age, all residents of Oguta Lake Street, Maitama area of Abuja.
The police said the trio voluntarily stated their involvement in the perpetration of the dastardly act.
Parading the suspects, CP Sunday Babaji, FCT Police Commissioner, said discrete investigation revealed that the deceased resided in City Homes Estate, Lokogoma, with one Edward Achadu.
He said it was discovered that she left home with her one-year and five-months-old son and never returned home.
“A day later, the son was recovered at Holy Trinity Catholic Church upon a call placed through to one of the paternal relatives.
“Discrete and painstaking Investigations by Tactical and Intelligence assets of the Command attached to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigations Department led to the arrest of three suspects,” Babaji said.
The CP added that the suspects criminally conspired and murdered the victim to separate her from Achadu in order to pave the way for the female suspect and estranged lover of Edward, Tsembe, to have him to herself.
Speaking, the female suspect, Tsembe, told newsmen that the deceased only came to her house to collect phone the day she was found dead and denied any involvement in the act.
She said the male suspects were the ones that told her that they wanted to kidnap the deceased to demand for ransom.
However, Simon, who said he was a colleague of the female suspect, told newsmen that she invited him to help her scare the deceased from her man.
He said the only role he played was to open the gate for the late corps member when she came to Tsembe’s house.
Simon claimed that he met two other men who tied the deceased before he departed from the premises, adding that he later heard about the murder of the deceased.
The third suspect, Abu, said he did not kill the deceased, adding that he held and tied her as instructed by the female suspect before leaving the house.
Abu said that Tsembe called him up later in the night to come to her house, and he met the deceased in a terrible state bathed with acid.
According to him, Tsembe was crying and saying she didn’t know why she killed the decreased.
“She held my leg and was begging me to help her dispose off the body after which she called someone who brought a car for her.
“The person left the car, which we later used to carry the body to where we dumped it at about 3am,” Abu said.
He added that Tsembe paid him the sum of N100,000 for the assistance he rendrered to her.
Babaji said the suspects would be charged to court after the completion of investigation.