Benue Police arrest Aondohemba Joseph over murder of Justice Margaret Igbetar

A man named Aondohemba Joseph has been apprehended in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State, in connection with the demise of Justice Margaret Igbetar, a retired President of the state Customary Court of Appeal.

Following concerns about Justice Igbetar’s whereabouts, the Benue Police Command launched an investigation. They discovered the judge in her kitchen, surrounded by her own blood and bearing deep cuts on her back on Friday.

The spokesperson for the Benue Police Command, SP Sewuese Anene, officially confirmed the arrest of the suspect in relation to the passing of 73-year-old Justice Igbetar in a statement released on Saturday.

Justice Igbetar, who retired from her position on October 17, 2015, was known for leading a private life and rarely appearing in public.

SP Anene’s statement reads, “On August 24, information was received at the ‘E’ Police Division Makurdi, reporting that Justice Margaret Igbetar (rtd) was unresponsive to calls and her whereabouts were unknown. Detectives were promptly dispatched for an investigation.”

“During a search of her residence on Wantor Kwange Street, Gboko Road, Makurdi, her lifeless body was discovered in her kitchen, surrounded by blood. It was observed that she had sustained deep cuts on her back.”

“The investigation led to the arrest of one Aondohemba Joseph, along with the recovery of evidence for thorough examination,” the police spokesperson mentioned in the statement.

The State Commissioner of Police, Bartholomew Onyeka, is quoted in the statement condemning the heinous act. He has pledged to uncover the truth behind the incident and ensure those responsible for this barbaric act face justice.

Born on October 17, 1950, in Mbape, Shangev-ya, Tsar-Mbaduku, in Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, Justice Igbetar began her career as the Assistant Registrar at the Grade I Area Court in Katsina-Ala, Benue State, in 1971. She rose through the ranks to become a Judge of the Customary Court of Appeal in 1995. She later served as the President of the court from 2003.

Justice Igbetar was an integral part of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Benue State, serving as a founding member, a life member, and the first Chairperson of the Benue branch. She was also a National Trustee of the association.

Throughout her career, she served on various election petition tribunals and committees, contributing significantly to legal matters within the country.

(NAN)