Woman beats stepson to death, claims suicide

A step mother, Rukayat Osisi, is cooling her feet in the Ondo State Police custody following the death of her 12-year-old stepson, Awal, whom she claimed committed suicide.
The residents of Omi-Eja Street, Alamoye Road, off Akure High School in Akure, the Ondo State capital, were alarmed on January 8, 2014 when Rukayat, a petty trader, screamed that Awal hung himself in their one room apartment.
Surprisingly, she said Awal hung himself to the handle of the door of the one room apartment.
The father of the boy, Osisi, a Mobile Policeman, who had moved into the one room apartment about four years ago with Rukayat, was said to be out of town to his official base in Ikare Akoko, also in Ondo State.
The couple, who are Ebira from Kogi State.
Awal was a Primary Five pupil in a muslim school behind Akure High School.
Narrating what transpired, Taiwo Adegoke, the brother of the landlord of the house, said it was not possible for Awal to have hung himself as Rukayat claimed.
Adegoke said: “Rukayat ran out and raised an alarm at about 11.30am that her step son had hung himself to their one room apartment door handle.
“When I told her to go and show me where she claimed the boy had hung himself, I realised that the boy’s height is higher than the door.
“When I saw the acclaimed rope that she said the boy used in hanging himself, I realised that it was just a bag strap, which cannot even go round the boy’s neck.”
Adegoke explained that Rukayat had earlier sent Awal on an errand but he refused to go, which infuriated his stepmother to beat him.
“Maybe while beating the boy, he probably gave up the ghost and she tried to cover up crime with the allegation that the boy hung himself,” Adegoke said.
He added: “When she brought the body of the boy, the boy was already foaming and bleeding from his nose and mouth and the blood stains were still visible around the house passage.
“When we rushed the boy to the State Specialist Hospital, Akure, the medical personnels requested for police report when she told them the same story of suicide.
“It was then we accompanied her to ‘A’ Division Police Station in Akure to report the case.
“It was then she was detained after relaying the story and the police suspected foul play.
“If she can speak the truth, I am sure the issue will be better but because she cannot tell the truth, that is why she has been detained.
“But the boy did not hang himself in our house.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Wole Ogodo, said the case is already under investigation due to the suspected foul play and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Ogodo said: “A suicide case was reported on January 8, 2014 at about 2.35pm.
“One Rukayat Osisi of High School area, Akure, came to ‘A’ Division, Akure to report that at about 10am that she discovered that one Awal Osisi, now deceased, 13 years, allegedly died inside the room after committing suicide.
“The complainant further stated that the victim allegedly hanged himself with belt tied to the door handle of the room.
“She further stated that she removed the corpse of the deceased to Ondo State Specialist Hospital, Akure before coming to ‘A’ Division, Akure to report officially on the receipt of her report.”
Ogodo said that policemen visited the scene of the incident and suspect foul play.
He said further: “The complainant is a stepmother to the deceased person and the mother has already divorced the father.
“The story of the complainant is also difficult to believe.
“She is presently undergoing interrogation and DCB is presently investigating.
“The case would be transferred to State CID for discreet investigation.”