In an interview by Punch newspaper, Osatawaji Otuene, the elder brother of Justina Otuene, a 300-level undergraduate at the University of Port Harcourt, Uniport, Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level student specializing in petrochemical engineering at the university, is said to have killed his sister. Damian Okoligwe’s family was informed of the body of their sister after receiving threats involving the police.
Could you verify that you were related to the deceased?
Omsat-Awaji Otuene is my name. I am the brother of Justina Otuene, who passed away. As her older brother, I am.
What was she studying at the university and how old was she?
She was enrolled at the University of Port Harcourt to study biochemistry. She was three centuries old. Her age was twenty-one.
How were you made aware of her passing?
She was doing her industrial attachment at D/Line, Port Harcourt’s Prestige Hospital. She then left for work on Friday morning and never came back. The lack of her return worried everyone in the house. That Friday, around six o’clock in the evening, we attempted to call her on her cell phone but her line was unconnected. However, her line rang when I tried it again at nine o’clock. I therefore assumed that she was at her friend’s birthday since her line had rung. We just decided that we would give her a call on Saturday.
In n At approximately 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, her friend called to report that she did not see my sister at her birthday celebration, which was scheduled for Friday night. We attempted to contact her via her line in the morning but were unsuccessful, so we chose to wait. We wondered what the issue was, if her phone was turned off or something, as we waited until the afternoon. When it got serious on Saturday night, we called all of her friends and anybody else we knew we could get in touch with to see if they had any information regarding her whereabouts. However, everyone we spoke with claimed not to have. At that point, we began to publicize my sister’s disappearance! That’s the way it started.
Have you looked into the hospital she interned at as an industrial trainee?
Yes, on Sunday, the following day, we visited the hospital. We were unable to go that Saturday evening. When we went on Sunday, they verified that she had been at work on Friday. Since she worked in the hospital’s laboratory, her department had informed us that she had reserved a ride for a birthday celebration. They thus attested to the fact that she was at work on Friday. Thus, we (the family) formally reported her missing after that point.
Someone called me while I was working with the anti-kidnapping unit at the Mini-Okoro Police Station to report that a dead body had been reported at the Ozuoba Police Station, and advised me to go check if the body there belonged to the missing person I was searching for. A few minutes later, I received a call from the same number confirming that the person who had been reported missing had in fact been killed.
So I informed the Mini-Okoro Police Station’s investigating police officer about it right away. The commander thus gave us the go-ahead right away to determine whether the body belonged to my sister, who has been missing. We went to the Ozuoba Police Station, and they verified that she was the person based on all of their findings. And that’s how I found out.
Did you know that the suspect who was taken into custody by the police was the girlfriend of your late sister?
They had a relationship, but it ended a long time ago. She wasn’t his girlfriend prior to this incident. They went out two years ago, in 2021, I believe. They didn’t get in touch with each other after their breakup until, which was a very long time ago, at least until 2023, I think. I would have known if they had communicated earlier. I spoke with my sister’s best friend, who informed me that the man who killed my sister texted her in June 2023, so even if she kept it from me, I know they had no communication.
Though she didn’t give me the precise date, that guy texted her and asked for my sister’s phone number. That was the Information I received. They didn’t have anything together for a long time.
I’m not happy with everything that is being said in the media because if she was in a relationship for the money she wouldn’t have broken up (with him) in the first place and mind you, they broke up in 2021. The murderer got my sister’s phone number from her best friend in June 2023.
Did your sister live on campus or in the dorm?
She didn’t live on campus.
Were you aware of her off-campus accommodations?
Sure. She resided in Chem’s rear. Behind Chem in Alakahia , near UNIPORT in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, is the location known by that name.
What do you believe the reason for her murder was?
It has nothing to do with payback, in my opinion. He was aware of his goals from the moment he decided to start doing anything he pleased. It wasn’t, in my opinion, a payback for anything. He didn’t start out with the best of intentions; I’m not sure what his goals were.
You are also a student of the university. Do you know the suspect either on campus or elsewhere before now?
I have not seen him on campus.
You previously mentioned that your sister had dated him. Has his photo ever appeared on your sister’s phone?
Sure.
That was when?
I knew they had something when they first came out in 2021.
The suspect was paraded by the Commissioner of Police while you were at the police headquarters. Did you find any information in his account to be inaccurate?
It’s inaccurate to say that Damian and my sister were romantically involved. That should be changed, in my opinion, because they broke up a long time ago. The story that goes around saying that (my sister) was his girlfriend is untrue. Something needs to be fixed. There have been claims made again about my sister’s materialism. I’m not right. She was my sister, and I am familiar with her personality.
It is necessary to expose the truth.
What is the truth?
The truth is that they dated for two years, after which she stopped being in contact with him. Therefore, it is untrue to say that she was in a relationship with a Yahoo Yahoo boy and enjoyed a flamboyant lifestyle.
Do you find it troubling how your deceased sister entered the suspect’s home?
Presumably. Perhaps the reason I don’t know how my sister got to his place is that, when questioned, the murderer withheld the truth. We’re not sure if my sister went to his house by herself or if he picked her up from somewhere. However, the truth is that I am aware that they may have received the contact two weeks prior, and it’s possible that he persuaded her to follow, Therefore, it is incorrect to say that she deserved what happened to her or that dating a Yahoo Yahoo boy served her right. That story is untrue, so my sister did not deserve it at all.
What would you say about her way of life?
My sister was calm and loving. She was peaceful, loving, and devout; she never sought out trouble. She was courteous and really supportive. She will be greatly missed by us. I am aware of her constant availability and willingness to assist when needed. She had empathy. She supported my mother even though there were moments when they misunderstood one another. As the only daughter, she did everything for my mother. We shall therefore miss her terribly.
What number of siblings are there?
She was the only sister of the four siblings I had.
How’s your father doing?
My father passed away.
The police have stated that a neighbor reported smelling foul air coming from the suspect’s apartment. According to the police, they received the information, went to the apartment, broke in, and found her lifeless body. Was that also the information your family learned?
Yes, I believe that is the case, but based on what I understand, the building’s owner noticed the smell and informed the authorities, who then took the necessary action.
Has your sister ever told you about her struggles?
Yes, she told us about her issues. She informed us when her phone was taken. She informed us when she experienced severe stomach pain. She then opened up to us about her issues.
Before she vanished, did she tell you that she felt threatened?
Nope. The only threat we faced was following our October 23, 2023, declaration of her missing. They aired the case when we went to police headquarters and reported it to the control room. We got back from the police station and immediately got calls. Someone called and made threats against us. The individual said we would never see my sister again because we had reported the incident to the police. My mother had called to let me know that she had spoken with someone. The person on the other end did not say anything when I picked up the phone, but I could later hear a female voice. I asked her what she desired, and she replied,she had no desires at all. She clarified that being missing was not the same as being kidnapped. She terminated the call, telling me not to call that number again. That Sunday, that was the last call we got. Later, other regular calls began to come in. A second caller came the following day, Monday, demanding N2 million in ransom. He promised to call again in two days, so we should prepare the money.
Was the ransom paid by your family?
Nope. It wasn’t us. We reported the issue to the police on Tuesday, the following day. The person who claimed that we would never see our sister again claimed that her phone number had been stolen and was being used by some boys when she was traced. But the woman was arrested by the police at the station. The following day, as we were working on the case, we got a call from someone saying that a dead body had been brought to the Ozuoba Police Station. It had been discovered near the Obiri-Kwere intersection, and they advised us to go to the station.
I thus went to the Mini-Okoro Police Station to report to the IPO. He answered to the commander of the police, who authorized the IPO. We all went to the Ozuoba Police Station, where we spoke with an officer who verified that, while it was not yet official, the person in the photo was the one who had died. So we went back. Before Wednesday night, the news broke on social media; people were talking about my sister’s (my sister’s) boyfriend’s butchering of her, and various videos were starting to surface.
Have you seen the body of your sister?
No, I’ve not. I’m not sure if my uncles who visited the morgue today, Friday, October 27, saw it.
Once it was established that your sister was dead, what was your reaction?
I felt very bad. That was the worst feeling I had ever had in my life. I didn’t even have that feeling when I lost my dad. So, this is the most painful moment in my entire life.
When did you lose your dad?
That was in December 2018.
How did you break the news to your mum?
She didn’t receive it well. We tried as much as possible to break it to her in the right manner. With the help of God, we were able to break it to her and she is doing fine. I am really worried and I want justice for my sister because the suspect is not looking remorseful. I don’t understand where that is coming from. I just hope that the Commissioner of Police and the government will make sure that my sister gets justice because the guy (suspect) cannot go free. He should not go free for this kind of crime that he has committed. The guy (suspect) cannot go free, so I just hope that the government and the commissioner of police will make sure that my sister gets justice. For committing a crime of this nature, he shouldn’t be allowed to walk free.
Do you think the police’s current investigation is satisfactory?
Since he (the suspect) was obviously not the only person involved in the crime, I will continue to urge the police to pursue their investigation in order to find everyone involved in the crime, even though they are currently doing a very good job at it. I applaud the IPOs, the anti-kidnapping unit at Mini-Okoro, and the police for their excellent work. They all performed admirably and contributed to the murderer’s capture.
All I have to say is that justice must be served for my sister, Justina Otuene. I’m pleading with the state government to stop the man (suspect) from being freed and to stop spreading false information about the entire case.
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