A middle-aged palm tree harvester, George Maduabuchi, from Owerrinta in the Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State is in the police net for allegedly selling his 14-month-old son for N300,000.
The father of four was said to have connived with another suspect, Obinna Erondu, now at large, to perpetrate the act.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joshak Habila, who paraded the suspect along with other suspected criminals on Thursday, said, “Luck ran out on Maduabuchi when the wife alerted the police on his questionable role when the baby fell ill and he took him out and did not return with him.”
But the suspect told our correspondent that he did not sell his son, but only took him to a herbalist when he took ill.
He said, “The herbalist gave me money and told me that he could not heal the baby. I therefore left the baby in the herbalist’s home.”
But his explanation was countered by his wife, Eberechi, who said he took their son, who had a cough to the said herbalist, but instead of returning with the baby, rather came back with bundles of money.
She said, “When I demanded explanations on the whereabouts of our son, he could not offer any convincing answer.”
The wife, who is also pregnant, said she raised the alarm, which attracted neighbours who helped to arrest the husband.
The neighbours subsequently alerted the police, who picked up the husband who later led the police to the herbalist’s house at Owerrinta where the boy was recovered .
Paraded also by the police was one Chizaram Amandu, 40, who allegedly murdered his kinsman over an argument over snails in the bush.
The suspect, according to police, went to hunt for snail at Ahiaba Okpuala Isiala Ngwa with the victim, Sampson Sunday.
The police added that quarrel ensued over sharing formula and the suspect allegedly stabbed Sunday to death with dagger.
But the suspect said it was an accident as the victim came out to confront him while hunting for snail behind his ( victim’s) house in the night .
According to him, he never knew the victim could die as a result of injuries he sustained.
The police also paraded one Gideon Ezenwoko, a suspected kidnap kingpin, who had been allegedly terrorising residents of the Obingwa council area, adding that he had been on the wanted list of police .
The CP said, “The suspect escaped from prison, where most members of his gang had been jailed.
“He will be arraigned as soon as investigations are over.”
