Labourer, herbalist kill General over land

There seems to be no limit to what a man can do in the pursuit of money. This is evidenced in the criminal acts allegedly perpetuated by Samuel Sosu (38), Sosube Abiodun (23) and another person still at large.PUNCH METRO learnt that the three men conspired and allegedly killed Brig.-Gen. Umar Uwagbe (retd.) and also attempted to kill the wife of the deceased in order to gain ownership of the retired soldiers landed property.The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said the suspects allegedly used a machete to kill the General.He said, "On September 9, 2011, at about 5pm, in Badagry, the deceased was killed with a machete by the suspects."Whilst they were killing the General, his wife saw them and recognised them. They consequently attacked her and left her for dead."The wife of the deceased was able to identify the suspects and Sosu was immediately arrested while Abiodun was arrested a month later in Ogun State. However, one suspect is still at large."Jinadu noted that the suspects were citizens of Benin Republic residing in Nigeria illegally, adding that the case would soon be taken to court.The suspects however gave different accounts of what happened.Sosu told that he had no hand in the murder, adding that he had a very cordial relationship with the deceased.He said, "The General and I were very close. He gave me seven acres of land which I used for farming."I was not even at the crime scene. It was the two guys that I employed as labourers (Abiodun and another person) that killed the General. I am just a herbalist-turned farmer. I am not a criminal."However, Abiodun, who was not remorseful, told our correspondent that Sosu recruited him and the yet-to-be-apprehended suspect to commit the crime so he could take possession of the land.Abiodun said, "Sosu told my friend that we should go and kill the General and promised to reward us. On that day, my friend and I hid in the Generals compound and when the General came out to switch off his generator, we pounced on him and slashed him to death."When we noticed that his wife had seen us, we entered the apartment and cut her too but we didnt know she survived."Abiodun claimed that he acted under the influence of metaphysical forces, adding that "Sosu was the one that hypnotised me into committing the crime." At the parade, one of the deceaseds daughters, who did not want her name in print, described in graphic detail how the suspects carried out the crime."After killing my father, they cut my mothers hand, her neck, slashed her head and her ears. She is now receiving treatment at a hospital," she said.
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