Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a 27-year old youth pastor of a mega church in Yenagoa, the state capital, Joseph Fekala, after allegedly killing his girlfriend, Kate Ogwoh.
The state police commissioner, Ben Okolo, at press conference on Friday, said the suspect strangled the 26-year old Kate to death on July 28, 2022 over N50,000 he was owing her.
He said after killing the girl the pastor, who hails from Ikibiri Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State buried her in a shallow grave in his bedroom at Okaka community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.
He said the suspect, who recently promoted to the position of a youth pastor, was arrested on Friday and detained at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department after the police had been tipped off.
He said: “It’s unfortunate that this morning we got information that a young man called Joseph Fekala strangulated his girlfriend, Kate Ogwoh, in the Okaka area.
“It’s an unfortunate incident. We understand that he buried her in his room. We have made an arrangement for the Homicide Section of the State CIID to do the needful by doing proper exhumation in line with police proceedings so that we will ensure that the matter is investigated properly and the suspect faces justice.”
Also, the victim’s father, Dick Ogwoh, who was present at the press conference, said before suspect’s arrest, his wife told him she called their daughter’s mobile phone many times, but it didn’t connect.
The deceased’s father said: “My wife called me to say that my daughter’s number was not going through. From morning till evening, the number didn’t connect.
“My wife told me the boy (Fekala) owed Kate N50,000 and he refused to pay the money. Each time she (Kate) called him, he would not pick his call.
“I asked the boy where my daughter was and he said he didn’t see her. In the process, I asked him the last time he saw her and he said a day before.
“I asked him what she wore and he said white polo (shirt) and black jean trousers. I asked him when she left the house, he said around 7.00am. His younger sister is my daughter’s schoolmate.”