Police have confirmed the arrest of a pastor for the death of a 43-year-old female evangelist, identified as Happiness Echieze, was found dead at a hotel in Aba.
This was confirmed by the Abia State Police Command that it was likely a homicide.
A number of internet news reports in the state claimed that the female evangelist allegedly died in the guest house while having ‘marathon sex’ with Bishop Timothy Otu, a pentecostal church leader.
According to ASP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, the spokesperson for the Abia State Police, who confirmed the news on Thursday, Mr. Godwin Akpan, Obingwa LGA’s Ovom village, reported the incident to the Isialangwa Police Division.
The statement from the Abia police said that a clergyman named Timothy Otu, affiliated with one Agape Evangelical Ministry at Obikabia Junction in Obingwa LGA, and a 43-year-old woman named Happiness Echieze, from Isiala Ngwa LGA, Abia State, checked into the guest house on the evening of August 12, around 09:25 PM.
According to the Abia police, Mr. Akpan added that on the same date, at around 12:00 am, he entered the clergyman’s hotel room and found Happiness Echieze’s lifeless body. She was found naked, with a white liquid coming out of her lips and nose. Unfortunately, the clergyman was not present.
The statement further noted that the deceased’s body had been taken from the scene and transferred to the SDA Mortuary in Aba, where it is currently undergoing an autopsy. The public was also informed that urgent preliminary investigations had begun into the incident.
The police statement described the incident as a suspected murder case and stated that the bishop had been apprehended while the case had been sent over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigations.
Before the police reports, several online news outlets in Abia State had asserted that the late Evangelist Echieze passed away at the guest home while having sex with Pastor Timothy Otu, who was thought to be his lover even before the burble broke.
According to these reports, the deceased evangelist was said to have had five children, and her spouse was said to live in Bayelsa State.