"There was happiness in my home until the Devil stole it" - Father of 9-year-old killed by her guardian weeps

Precious Korchima, 9, was allegedly killed by her guardian in Enugu State after being beaten to death, and her father, Jerry Achirkpi, is seeking justice.

The alleged victim was beaten to death by the suspect, Mrs Ujunwa Ugwuoke, at her home at Fidelity Estate, Okpara Avenue, Enugu.

On January 31, Mr Achirkpi said on Facebook that happiness had left his home following the death of his daughter.

"Joy was in my house until the devil took it away. In the mighty name of Jesus, it will be brought back to life. Amen. Compensation for the precious". He wrote.

The suspect, according to the police, took the lifeless body of the child to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, for treatment.

But as soon as the doctors on duty confirmed Precious' death, Mrs Ugwoke stole the body and dumped it at a refuse dump along Ugbo-Nwagidi Village Road in Enugwueze Uno-Ituku community of Awgu Local Government Area.

According to the police, Ugwoke also fled to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, from where she falsely reported the death of the deceased, her infant and herself on 9 November 2022, when they were returning home from Independence Layout, Enugu, where she had gone to fill her cylinder.

While in Abakaliki, the suspect claimed that her abductors had demanded a ransom of twenty million naira (N20,000,000.00) for each of them.

On 16 November 2022, Mrs Ugwoke resurfaced and claimed that the kidnappers had shot the deceased but spared her and her child.

According to the police, after her confessional statement, the case was transferred from the New Haven Police Division, where it was initially reported as kidnapping, to the Homicide Section of the Enugu State CID.

The suspect was charged and remanded in the Enugu Maximum Prison after being arraigned at the Enugu North Magistrate's Court.

The police case files, which were accepted as exhibits, were forwarded to the Attorney-General's Chambers for advice.

"My home was a happy place until the devil stole it". - The father of a 9-year-old child killed by her guardian in Enugu weeps.