A certain tenant identified as Jeff Obasohan has been accused of allegedly setting his 83-year-old landlord, Pa Joseph Iyen on fire over unpaid rents.
The incident happened in Benin City, Edo State at the landlord’s residence located between 2nd East Circular road and 3rd East Circular road in Benin.
According to reports, the landlord had served the owing tenant quit notice on two occasions with the tenant refusing to pay his rent or move out of the residence.
The wife of the Landlord, Mrs. Esther Iyen, added that the tenant had threatened her life and that of her husband.
“He does not pay his house rent; he does not pay the light bill. Since 2014, we said he should leave this house, I don’t want trouble. He threatened to kill me or my husband. We took him to court. Then, my husband fell sick. Later, they said that the case had been struck out.” She explained.
The landlord, Pa Joseph Iyen, due to severe burns and injuries sustained from the fire, died.
Describing her father as a kind man, the daughter of the deceased, Faith Eganbor said; “I need justice in my father’s matter. My father was a good man; he was kind to a fault. This is not the first time that this tenant has been asked to leave this house.
“They gave him quit notice early this year, in 2014 and 2015. We came this morning to find out (that) our father is dead; burnt,”
The Edo state Police Command spokesman, DSP Osifo Abiodun would conforming the tragic incident which led to the loss of the Landlord’s life said the suspect had been arrested and the case transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.