Missing man found dead in bedroom

The house

The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigations into the mysterious death of a 39-year-old trader, Sylvanus Okoye, who was discovered without his penis in a pool of blood at his house.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the indigene of Abidi, Umu Ochi, Anambra State, was found dead two weeks after he was last seen by neighbours.

His corpse was said to have been discovered after a foul odour engulfed the premises of the house, located at Ezemegbu Drive, Okota.

It was learnt that on Thursday, neighbours forced the door to his apartment open and the corpse was discovered.

The victim’s brother, Paul, also a trader, said neighbours called to inform him that his brother had not been seen for some days.

He said, “I was called by the landlord that they have not seen my brother for some time. They said a stranger dropped his phone and house key with the security guard.

“When I got here, we opened the door to his flat. We saw his bloated body, with a rope tied on his neck. There was a mortar, pestle and a knife on the bed. Obviously he was murdered.

“We are confused now; we have reported the matter at Okota Police Station. They have collected the knife and pestle. What I am craving  now is justice. Police should investigate this matter and prosecute all involved.

“We were told that the security guard at their house was not around on that fateful day, so a certain man dropped the key to my brother’s house and his telephone with a female trader in front of the house. The guard told us that he knew the person who dropped the key.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the guard and the trader had been arrested by the police.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone.

She said, “On Thursday morning, the landlord of the building, Amaechi Nwosu, reported at the Okota Police Division that his tenant, who was a bachelor, was found dead in his flat. Policemen went to the scene and noticed that he was killed in a mysterious manner as his penis had been cut off.

“Before the corpse was discovered, there had been attempts by the neighbours to force the door open. It was at that point that the security guard opened up that the key was with him. He said someone had given the key and the man’s telephone to a trader and the trader handed it over to him.

“The security guard and the trader have been arrested and are being questioned as they never bothered to inform anybody that they were with the key prior to now.”