A 30-year-old man, identified as Leberechi, has allegedly killed his 25-year-old apprentice and hidden the dismembered body inside a refrigerator at his residence in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Leberechi, a spare parts trader at the Mgbuka Market along Onitsha-Owerri Road, reportedly went home with the apprentice after the market closed on Saturday, pretending it was to finalise payment for goods he had purchased.
According to eyewitnesses in the market, the suspect allegedly murdered the apprentice in his residence, cut the body into pieces, and stored the remains inside a refrigerator.
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An eyewitness, who chose to remain anonymous, told PUNCH Metro, “The boy was an apprentice in the market. The suspect bought an item from him on Saturday and asked him to follow him home to collect the money. On Monday, the market did not open due to the sit-at-home closure, but on Tuesday, we did not see the boy.
“When confronted and interrogated over the whereabouts of the boy, the suspect displayed some suspicious moves. Following the interrogations, some people in the market took him for a search in his house, where they found the dismembered body parts of the victim in a refrigerator in his apartment.
“He was brought back to the market and was about to be lynched by a mob before the intervention of police officers. The police have also sealed the house where the incident took place.”
SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, confirmed the incident in a press statement on Wednesday, adding that the suspect was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Ikenga said, “The Anambra State Police Command operatives attached to the Okpoko Division on September 2, 2025, rescued a suspect from an attempted jungle justice after he was alleged to have murdered a 25-year-old male and concealed the victim’s dismembered body inside a refrigerator at Okpoko.
“The suspect, later identified as Leberechi, other names unknown, and about 30 years of age, was already in an unconscious state before he was arrested.
“He was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention and is currently under armed guards to prevent escape.
“The operatives visited the scene of the murder and discovered the decomposed body parts of the victim hidden inside a refrigerator. The remains were subsequently evacuated to a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.”
He stated that the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered the case to be promptly transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Awka for a detailed investigation, ensuring that justice is carried out in line with the law.
