‘She died in her sleep, I only wanted to get rid of the body’ – UNIPORT student denies killing girlfriend

A 24-year-old student of the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, Damian Okoligwe, who allegedly killed his 20-year-old girlfriend, Justina Otuene, has denied having a hand in the deceased’s death.

Okoligwe denied the allegation during an interview with journalists at the Command Headquarters of the Rivers State Police Command, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

The suspect who said he was sick when the deceased visited his home, claimed he noticed his girlfriend was lifeless when he woke up.

He further claimed that he went to his brother’s house for treatment and returned three days later to dispose of her body.

The 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student denied harvesting any organ from Justina’s body, claiming that her remains were still intact.

Okoligwe said, “I was very sick that morning, and when I went to the room to check on her, she was still sleeping.

“I went back to the parlor, I laid down because I was very sick. I was calling her but she was not responding. I had to go back to check on her.

“I went to check on her, she was not moving at all. She was very stiff and strong. After that, I did not know what to do, I had to carry her body into another room, and then I called my brother to come to my place.

“He came, and then he took me out of the place. He did not know there was anybody in my house. He took me to his place. That was where I received my treatment.

“I was thinking if I report the issue, I will be blamed for everything. So, I was trying to wrap her body and get rid of it, which was very wrong of me to do.

“As I came back that Wednesday to come and wrap her body, that was the Wednesday the police came.

“I did not remove any of her body parts.”

He noted that their relationship was not stable.

The suspect added that the deceased took a Bolt ride to his house on her own, noting that she was supposed to leave the same night but he slept off.

On his part, John Otuene, the elder brother to the slain 20-year-old girl, said his family wants justice to prevail on the matter.

“On Wednesday, we got a call that a case of a dead person had been reported to the Ozuoba Police Station and that we should go to the Police Station.

“So, I reported to the IPO at Mini-Okoro Police station. We reported to the commander. The commander gave the IPO a go-ahead.

“All of us went to the Ozuoba Police Station and they met the officer there who confirmed that the missing person in the picture is the person that was killed.

“I need justice. The guy that did it should pay for it, and everybody that was involved, because definitely, he was not the only one that was involved. Justice is what we need,” he said.