In Bayelsa State, the Special Anti-Vice Squad have arrested a 16-year-old secondary school student, Larry Godsgift, and his 53-year-old stepfather, Seimukumo Aganju, over the mysterious death and secret burial of a woman in the Akenpai area of Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA), Bayelsa State.
The buried woman, 43-year-old Joyce Sawyer, was reported to have died on March 13, 2015 in her home after a long battle with an unknown illness according to police sources.
Reports say that the woman’s death and burial would have remained unnoticed had it not been for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) required by the verification team of the State government for all State workers.
Fortunately/Unfortunately, the deceased was a LGA worker, and when a colleague tried to alert her on the need for her to leave her sick bed and come forward to submit her BVN, it was discovered that she had died and was buried without the knowledge of anyone.
The death of Ms. Sawyer was kept secret by Godsgift Larry and Seikumeikumo Aganju, her son and husband, respectively, and was secretly buried behind their home without the knowledge of her family members.
It was gathered that the 16-year-old tried to convince his stepfather to notify Ms. Sawyer’s family, but Mr. Aganju refused, accusing his in-laws of not showing concern while the deceased was on her sick bed.
Close family sources said that although Mr. Aganju did not have a strong relationship with his in-laws, the decision to bury the late Ms. Sawyer against tradition is criminal and suspicious.
While many claimed the secret burial was conducted in order to evade a mortuary fee, suspicions are rife that the suspects might have wanted to continue collecting Ms. Sawyer’s salary while she was dead and buried.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Asimin Butswat, said the investigation is ongoing, but no more information is available yet.