A 35-year-old landlord Identified as Oyeinmiebi Selekowei has been arrested by state Police Command for allegedly killing his tenants 3 month old baby in Amassoma community Bayelsa stat.
The Bayelsa State Government through its Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) has indicated its readiness to support the legal processes that will lead to the prosecution of the landlord.
According to reports, the incident took place on September 13 following an fight which resulted from the tenant “Oscar Pere” trying to rescue a woman believed to be the landlords mother from assualt in the hands of her son who happens to be the landlord.
Report gathered stated that the suspect, who was bitter, full of anger and not happy with Pere’s intervention threatened to deal with him and kill his child.
Pere, in a complaint lodged with GRIT, stated that the suspect transferred aggression on him by holding his child upside down and hitting the back of the child’s head against the door until the baby died.
Pere, who happens to be a youth pastor with the Redeemed Christian of Church of God (RCCG), was quoted to have told GRIT officials that he does not want to be involved in any case against his child’s killer.
“told you to let God fight because vengeance belongs to God. I will not want to offend my God by doing things outside his will,’
Pere said
However, GRIT officials are prepared to press charges against the suspect.
GRIT State Chairman Mrs Dise Sheila Ogbise, on Wednesday while she was speaking on the issue, described the act of the suspect as barbaric and a criminal act against the state.
“The Prosperity Government of Governor Douye Diri has declared zero tolerance to all forms of violence especially gender-based violence and this case will not be an exception” she said.
Mrs Debra Pamosoo , GRIT Head of the Legal said the complaint lodged by the deceased father is criminal in nature and if the alleged offender is found guilty by a competent court of law, the punishment will be a death sentence.
“See Section 319 Criminal Code Of Bayelsa State. It suffices to also say that the alleged offence by the landlord is a breach of the constitutional fundamental right to life of the three months old baby,’ Pamosoo said.
The suspect is currently in the custody of the State Criminal Intelligence Department (SCID) of the State Command and the case is been investigating investigated.
Asinim Butswat, the Spokesman of the State Police Command, confirmed the incident and also stated that the accused landlord is still in the custody of the SCID and the legal department is preparing to charge him to court.
