A middle-aged woman said to be mentally deranged has stabbed to death a 14-year-old boy in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital.
The victim, identified as Joseph Thomas, was stabbed along Genesis street, off Okaka road of the city at about 7.30am on Tuesday morning.
The incident threw the neighbours into shock which later degenerated into mob action against the suspected woman and nearly beat her to death.
It was gathered that the quick arrival of the Patrol team of the Bayelsa State Police Command rescued the woman from the angry mob who wanted to retaliate the boy’s death.
Some residents of the community told Daily Trust that the accused woman is believed to be deranged and had attempted to stab another boy a few meters away from where she killed the 14-year boy.
Daily Trust leant that the woman had stabbed another boy in the arm along the mountain of fire road, Okaka before proceeding to kill her victim.
Suspect gospel preacher
One of the residents of the Genesis streets identified as Panebi said the woman, who is an indigene of Enugu State, is known to preach the gospel of Christ in the early hours of the morning along the Okaka road.
He said: “But on this particular day, she was usually carrying a Bible and started displaying strange behaviours by displaying a dagger. She always chased everyone that comes across her. Until she gets to the victim’s house and broke down the door.
“She dragged the boy to the middle of the road and stabbed him three times. Angry youths on the street started retaliating by attacking her with stones and planks until she fell down. And the police came to her rescue and took her away.”
The grandmother of the deceased, Madam Modlyn, who narrated the incident said her grandson was in the house when he was accosted and allegedly killed him.
She said: “I went to buy something. I was at the place when someone told me that a mad woman is looking for me and wanted to kill me.
“I wondered why a mad woman would be looking for me. I ran into my neighbour’s house to seek refuge and avoid the woman. While at the neighbour’s house, I heard noise from neighbours that she had stabbed my grandson to death.”
Also speaking, a neighbour to the deceased who preferred anonymity said she was preparing her children for school when the incident occurred.
Rights group doubts plead of insanity
The President of the Do Foundation, a group involved in the civil advocacy against domestic violence and violence against children in the state, Barr. Dise Sheilla Ogbise, expressed anger against the killing of the 14-year old.
She said: “We are interested in this case and it must be further investigated. A woman just lost her son and relations to the accused woman who had already raised the defence of insanity. We are not convinced that she is insane.
“No Doctor has confirmed it and there is no evidence backing the claim of insanity. This is a clear case of murder except proven otherwise. Let the Bayelsa Police thoroughly investigate the matter”
The spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, SP Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the development, said the police authorities have already taken the accused woman to its custody.
