In the Okpuno Umuogali community of Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, a tragic incident occurred on Sunday. A 28-year-old man named Kingsley Okoye was allegedly beaten to death by some unidentified thugs. The reason for this brutal act was said to be the theft and sale of his elder brother’s foreign doors from a construction site.
According to reports, Kingsley had been accused of selling the doors that he had removed from his brother’s yet-to-be-completed building. His brother, Joseph Okoye, who lives abroad, had apparently invited the thugs to torture Kingsley as punishment for his actions. However, the situation took a tragic turn when the beating resulted in Kingsley’s untimely death.
Eyewitnesses, including Kosisochukwu Uzoekwe, who is a cousin to the deceased, shared their account of the incident. It was revealed that there had been an ongoing dispute between the two brothers over the sale of a family property. Joseph had sold the property without sharing the proceeds with Kingsley, which had made life difficult for him. Kingsley, in a desperate attempt to alleviate his hunger and frustration, decided to steal and sell the foreign doors from his brother’s new house construction site.
Upon learning of Kingsley’s actions, Joseph sent money to his sister and instructed her to hire thugs to beat him up and teach him a lesson. The sister then contracted two notorious thugs who arrived in Okpuno Umuogali to carry out the act. When people intervened to stop the beating, the thugs whisked Kingsley away on a bike to an unknown location where they continued to assault him.
Tragically, Kingsley’s life could not be saved, and he was pronounced dead at Sahara Hospital in Oba. The accused brother, Joseph, expressed regret for his actions, claiming that he had only intended for the thugs to recover the stolen doors and did not expect Kingsley to be killed. He stated that he had been on a video call with the thugs during the beating and had instructed them to take Kingsley to the hospital after obtaining the information about the doors.
The sister of the deceased, Ebele, admitted to mobilizing the thugs as instructed by Joseph but denied receiving any money from him. She claimed that it was Joseph’s fiancee who arranged for the thugs and that she had been attending her children’s graduation ceremony at the time of the incident. Ebele expressed sadness over the turn of events and the loss of her brother’s life.
Investigations into the incident have been initiated by the police division in Oba, and the matter is currently under scrutiny. The police have confirmed that the case has been reported, and measures are being taken to apprehend the suspects.
This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the consequences that can arise from unresolved family disputes and the dangers of resorting to violence. It is a heartbreaking loss for the Okoye family, and our thoughts go out to them during this difficult time.
