A Cry for Justice

Odion Omoarebokhae, husband of late gospel singer, Yvonne Osifo, who died in a hotel room, has appealed to the Edo State Government to help unravel the circumstances surrounding the mysterious death of his wife, writes Adibe Emenyonu

Yvonne Osifo is a gospel singer and married to Odion Omoarebokhae, a transporter and their marriage is blessed with a three year-old son. Yvonne Osifo now Yvone Osifo Omoarebokhae, graduated from the Benson Idahosa University, Benin. Apart from singing, she is also a regular face on Facebook where she sends inspirational messages to her friends and fans. These inspirational messages have fetched her engagements to perform live in religious programmes.

However, things turned around for the worst for her when she met one Apostle Psalm Okpe of Fresh Oil Ministry on Facebook who she has been charting with for several months before both of them struck a deal for her to perform in his ministry.

The apostle according to Omoarebokhae appeared on April 7, 2016 after they have concluded arrangements for Yvonne to perform in Warri Delta State. With that enthusiasm, she departed for Warri with the Pastor Okpe but that was the last the family saw her alive as the Police in Benin invited the husband that his wife had an issue with someone in a hotel. He went there and saw wife her stone dead.

Immediately the new broke, the Edo State Police Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike was reached and he confirmed the incident, saying the matter was under investigation, and that a post mortem examination will be carried out to confirm the cause of death.

His words, “It is under investigation. The man is married and the woman is married. Not until a post mortem is conducted, we cannot conclude what happened. I have asked the matter to be transferred to the state CID.”

The police as gathered had performed the autopsy whose result is yet to be released. But the recent posting on Facebook, suggesting the woman died of cardiac arrest is giving the husband a cause to worry about.

This prompted the husband of the deceased to raised alarm alleging that her wife was killed by the pastor and called on Edo State government to carry out immediate investigation with a view to prosecuting anyone behind the death of his wife.
Omoarebokhae, who is 41 years, said his alarm stemmed from rumours making rounds that his wife died of cardiac arrest.

He said “Pastor Psalm Okpe who hailed from Benue State, last week invited my wife to perform at his church programme in Sapele, Delta State, before she was lured into a hotel in Benin upon return by the same pastor”.

The bereaved husband also alleged that pressure has been coming from influential pastors across Edo and Delta states for him to withdraw the case with the pastor for financial settlement. Omoarebokhae claimed that his wife may have been drugged by the suspect.
“My wife is a singer. She goes out to minister and comes back. She went to minister in a church programme in Sapele on Thursday and at 9pm the following day, I was called to come to Airport Road Police Station that she has issues with some persons. I went and the police did not open up early until I threatened them. It was later, I discovered that Pastor Psalm Okpe that invited her for the programme has killed my wife. Luckily, she has sent pictures of the programme to everybody.

“After the programme, she came to Benin. How the Pastor managed to manipulate her to that place is what I don’t understand. I have seen CCTv footage at the hotel. Initially the pastor said my wife went her way after the programme but we saw in the CCTv that contrary to what he wrote, she actually slept in the hotel. I saw the CCTv immediately they entered, my wife was following him like a dog, like somebody without senses. The next morning, Pastor came out of the room, stood by the door before going out. He spent five hours outside. By the time he came back, he went to the reception to demand for his key hoping that my wife had left to die in her house. They told him that the key was not with them and that his key was with him. They called the porter who brought the spare key and forced the door open. Immediately the porter opened the door, he left and the apostle entered. He spent another one hour eighteen minutes with a lifeless body. He went out again and the porter and other hotel staff were waiting for him. They asked him what was the matter and why the guest inside could not open the door after knocking severally. He said his co-minister is unconscious. They asked him to wait and they called the police.

“The police told me they met my wife fully dressed like somebody about to go out. They took her photographs like somebody taking a nap. I have seen my wife’s body. There is no physical mark on her. From what I observed, she was given an overdose of substances that her system could not take.

“She called me last the day she died at about 10am. She said they had finished performing and that she could not come that day and that she would be home soon. I kept calling her and her phones were switched off. She is 30.”

Omoarebokhae said he doubts the sincerity of the IPO handling that case as the same police have been telling him to go and bury his wife.

His words: “People have been calling me to try and bury my wife. I told them that I did not sell her and I will not collect any money.

“The doctor told me that they have sent the specimen to Lagos and awaiting result but I am now reading about reports claiming that she died of cardiac arrest.

“I want the law to follow the issue closely. I never knew Apostle Okpe. My wife usually post morning devotional things in Facebook and from that he contacted my wife. My wife told me he sent her message. She goes out to minister normally. She was supposed to return that day. I was expecting her to come back that day.

“After the autopsy, the police called that I should go and bury my wife but I refused. I told them I was not ready to dialogue. The police did the autopsy. I did not hire any private doctor. And because of what is happening now, I will not accept any autopsy result doesn’t state cause of death”.

When contacted, the Edo Police Commissioner, Chris Ezike, said nobody should dwell in the realm of speculation as autopsy of the late gospel artiste was only carried out Saturday, April 16 and the result is still being awaited.