By MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
A woman accused of killing her 19-year-old son with rat poison has given reasons for her action, saying she was tired of taking care of him because he was a sickler who has allegedly drained her financial, emotional and psychological resources.
Mrs Elizabeth Iweniyi, mother of five, now in police custody committed the murderous act in Egbeta Community, Ovia North-east local government area of Edo State.
The woman and her husband, Mr Isaac Iweniyi, 50, were among 56 suspected criminals paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Edo State, CP Johnson Babatunde Kokumo in Benin City on Monday.
“I have five children, the boy is the eldest. Since he (Marvis) was born he has been sick, he falls and had mental illness. If the sickness holds him, people will run to call me from the farm.
“I have never known peace since he was born, nowhere we have not taken him to for treatment.
“I am tired, I can’t continue like that again, so I have to give him poison.
“That fateful day, I was in the farm when they called me that my son was sick again, when I returned home, I went to look for him and brought him back to the house. So, I went out to buy rat poison and gave him. I was fed up with Rt his condition”. The woman narrated in tears.
She further explained that she needed to also give motherly attention to other of her children as the late child took the better part of her.
Mrs Iweniyi however absolved her husband of any complicity in the murder.
“I didn’t tell my husband, I planned it myself because I am the one suffering it.
“They kept calling me every time to come back from the farm. I am tired and I want to have time to take care of my other four children who are going to school,” She added.
Father of the deceased Mr. Isaac Iweniyi said he was in the farm and was unaware of his wife’s plan.
“They only called me to come back from the farm that my son Mavis was dead.
“Mavis is a sickler since he was born, he has been sick. I don’t know anything about his death.
“It was on Monday that the police came to arrest us that we killed our son and it was at the police station that my wife said he gave him rat poison,” Mr Iweniyi stated.
He however said that he would have preferred the child to die naturally.
The Commissioner of Police CP Johnson Kokumo who condemned the act, said the couple would be arraigned on completion of investigation.
CP Kokumo said nobody has the right to take another person’s life.
