General Overseer of a certain Agape Evangelical Ministry located at Obikabia Junction in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, Bishop Timothy Otu, has been quizzed by the police over the death of a female member of his church during an alleged love affair with him in a hotel.
The deceased, identified as Evangelist Happiness Echieze, 43, and mother of five, was said to be one of the prominent members of his church.
According to a statement issued Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Moureen Chinaka, the said Bishop is now helping the police in the investigation to unravel the cause of the lady’s death in his hotel room.
The statement said that the Bishop and and the lady lodged in a hotel in Ovom village on August 12, 2023, around 9.23pm.
According to the statement, the lady’s naked lifeless body was later discovered in the hotel room around midnight while the said Bishop was no where to be found.
He was however, picked up on Sunday while preaching in his church.
Police said the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for proper investigation.
The statement read in part:“On August 13, 2023, around 9.30am, Mr Godwin Akpan residing at Jubilee Guest House in Ovom Village, Obingwa Local Government Area reported to the Isialangwa Police Division that on the evening of August 12, 2023, around 9.25pm, a clergyman named Timothy Otu associated with Agape Evangelical Ministry at Obikabia Junction in Obingwa LGA, checked into the guest house along with a woman named Happiness Echieze from Isialangwa LGA, Abia State. Happiness Echieze was 43 years of age.
“Further details provided by Mr Akpan indicated that on the same date, around midnight, he entered the hotel room of the aforementioned clergyman and discovered the lifeless body of Happiness Echieze. She was found unclothed, and a white substance was emanating from her mouth and nose. Regrettably, the clergyman was absent from the scene.
“Preliminary investigations have been launched into this matter. The deceased’s body has been transported from the location and is currently at the SDA Mortuary in Aba, awaiting an autopsy.
“Additionally, the suspect in this case has been apprehended and the case has been transferred to the State CID for discreet investigations.”
A source said that the husband of the deceased was away to Bayelsa State on a business trip when the incident occured.
