The residents of Idekan Farm Settlement in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, were left in shock following a tragic incident where a man named Matthew James killed his 55-year-old wife, Etim Mary. The motive behind the crime was reportedly James’ suspicion that his wife was having an extramarital affair with another man in the community.
According to eyewitnesses and community sources, the suspect, now in police custody, committed the gruesome act due to his belief that his late wife had violated a “blood covenant” they allegedly made to remain faithful to each other. The couple had married later in life, with Etim Mary already having children from a previous marriage.
The eyewitness, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that James returned home one morning armed with a machete and brutally hacked his wife to death. Shockingly, after committing the murder, James did not flee the scene but remained beside his deceased wife.
The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident, stating that Etim Mary was found lying in a pool of blood in front of their house around 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. She had suffered deep cuts on her forehead, shoulders, and other parts of her body. Despite being rushed to a hospital by residents, she was pronounced dead by attending medical personnel.
The police recovered the blood-soaked machete believed to have been used in the crime from the suspect, who was promptly arrested. The body of the deceased was deposited at Alayangbe Private Mortuary in Oke-Agbo, Ijebu-Igbo, pending an autopsy.
Odutola indicated that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abeokuta after preliminary investigations are completed.
The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting issues of domestic violence and the tragic consequences of unfounded suspicions within marriages.
