BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
A 35-year-old laborer has killed his colleague for allegedly refusing to wash the shovel used during construction work in a building in Benin City.
The unfortunate incident occurred at New Etete area of the state capital on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
The suspect, Michael Agbero, a Togolese, now in police custody co-opted his now deceased friend, one Maharazu Umar to execute a constitution work in the building.
It was gathered that after the duo had successfully completed the work, the suspect Michael Agbero directed his colleague to wash the shovel.
His friend, Maharazu Umar alleged refusal to wash the tool triggered an argument between them and Michael Agbero hit him with a hammer.
It was further scooped that the victim was thereafter abandoned in pool of blood by his colleague after the attack.
When asked about his colleague by the landlord of the building while he was leaving the premises, he informed him that his friend had left earlier.
The landlord’s wife, however, was shocked to her bone marrow when she discovered the bleeding corpse of the laborer as she went to inspect the work done.
The owner of the house, one Clement Obagbinoko was said to have swiftly reported to the police station in charge of the area prompting the arrest of the suspect.
Commenting on the ugly incident, the Public Relations Officer for Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, said one Clement Obagbinoko, reported at the Etete Division, Benin City that he employed the services of the suspect to assist him in carrying out construction works in his compound as the suspect later brought the deceased who assisted him to do the job.
“When they finished, he was paid and he was asked the whereabouts of Umar, he replied that he had left but while Clement’s wife was inspecting the job at about 7pm, she found Umar’s dead body in the pool of blood within the compound. They immediately called the suspect to come to the house and he was arrested,” SP Chidi stated.
He added that the deceased had been deposited in a mortuary as the suspect would soon be charged accordingly.
On his part, the suspect explained that “after our work, I asked him to wash the shovel, but he said he wouldn’t do it and, in the process, we started quarrelling. I picked up a cutlass and I hit him on his head with a hammer because he would have attacked me with the cutlass.
“When I hit him, he fell down and I left him there. But I now regret hitting him with a hammer now that he is dead.”
