A 32-year-old man, Mr. Simon Mbam, of Izzi Local Government Area of
Ebonyi State has committed suicide after he was allegedly beaten by some
villagers for allegedly stealing N1,000 from a shop in the market.
The victim, who jumped into a pond in the area last weekend, found
himself in the mess when he left his house in the evening of the fateful
day to buy drinks alonside his friends.
While late Simon and his friends were enjoying their drinks, the
owner of the shop raised an alarm over a missing N1,000 in his carton of
drinks, but no customer admitted to haven taken the money.
The alarm raised by the shop owner attracted villagers who stormed
the scene and gave the suspects a one day ultimatum to return the money
or face the punishments.
It was learned that the proposed missing money was found at the door
step of the shop, but when the villagers who were determined to get to
the root of the matter gathered, the owner of the shop insisted on
knowing the person behind the act.
Vanguard Newspaper further gathered that the suspect, who later
confessed to the crime, was allegedly beaten by the angry villagers
until he started bleeding and lost consciousness.
They demanded that he should be treated like a thief, even as he was
fined two goats, two crates of beer and N5,000, which were immediately
provided by the suspect’s mother (names withheld).
It was gathered that the village head rejected what the suspect’s
mother brought, insisting that an additional N5,000 should be provided
so that the matter would be completely resolved without involving the
police.
This second demand by the villagers made the suspect, who felt
humiliated by the entire process, escape from his captors and jumped
into Aku Pond, which was not far from the market square.
All efforts to rescue him on time proved abortive as he drowned before his body was retrieved by the villagers.
Meanwhile, four persons including the village head, had been arrested by
the police after the mother of the victim reported the matter.
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