Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Mr. Obakpolor Edebiri, younger brother to late Pa Anthony Edebiri has told the Investigators at the Zone 5 Police headquarters, Benin, that he will die if he reveals those who sent him to exhume the corpse of his elder brother, Pa Anthony Edebiri from his house where he was buried because he and his conspirators are under an oath.
The suspect is said to have admitted to have been contracted to exhume and relocate his brother’s corpse to a yet-to-be disclosed location.
He reportedly declined to give detailed information that would lead to the recovery of the stolen body.
Obakpolor Edebiri was also said to have vehemently refused to either disclose the names of his sponsors, co-conspirators or their motives during interrogation in the homicide section at the zonal headquarters in Benin City.
Police stated further that Obakpolor Edebiri claimed they all took an oath of secrecy before the act as he would die if he confessed.
The Public Relations Officer, Zone 5 headquarters, in charge of Edo and Delta States Police Command, DSP Tijani Momoh, said this while giving update on the progress of the ongoing investigation.
“The brother of the deceased, one Mr. Obakpolor Edebiri, actually admitted that he was contracted to exhume and removed the corpse of his brother, Anthony Edebiri.
“He said he took an oath not to disclose where they took the corpse and that he would die if he says anything about it.
“Mr. Obakpolor is an old man. He was granted bail after interrogation,” DSP Momoh said.
The zonal police spokesman further explained that investigators had contacted a mortuary in Benin City where the stolen corpse was suspected to have been deposited by the grave robbers.
“In their (mortuary authorities) reply, they said the name Pa Anthony Edebiri is not in their records.
“The mortuary also said anyone can come to check the corpses deposited with them for identification as the perpetrators may have lodged the body using a different name,” Tijanni said.
Attempts to obtain comments from Mr. Obakpolor Edebiri or his family failed.
Truth Live News had earlier reported that Pa Anthony Edebiri’s corpse was exhumed and stolen few hours after it was interred in his private residence in Benin City on January 10, 2021.