By Emmanuel Nwazue
The police in Obingwa LGA of Abia State have arrested one Bishop Otu Timothy, the founder of Agape Evangelical Ministries (City of Miracles) at the Obikabia Junction, near Aba, in Abia State.
This is in connection with the death of a married female evangelist and mother of five, simply identified as “Evangelist Happiness.”
The deceased was said to have died in one of the rooms at an inn, ‘Jubilee Guest House’ Ovom, in the Ogborhill area of Aba, where she lodged alongside Bishop Otu.
According to the management of the inn, the incident happened about 11pm on Saturday, 12th of August, 2023, when Bishop Otu was said to have pretentiously fled the place after telling the receptionist on duty that he was going to buy some food outside the guest house.
Suspecting that something was awry with his departure when he didn’t return, the manager of the guest house invited police from the Eastern Ngwa Police Station in Obingwa LGA, at 1: AM on Sunday morning, and upon their arrival, the victim was found naked and foaming in her mouth and nose.
It was further revealed that the late evangelist who hails from Umuakatawom in Obingwa LGA was a member of the Agape Evangelical Ministries Inc, founded by the said bishop.
Information gleaned from text messages the duo exchanged over time suggests they were in a romantic affair hence the suspicion that the woman may have died during a sex bout with the cleric.
However, the fleeing cleric was later apprehended at his church, located at the Obikabia Junction, when undercover detectives traced and attended in plain clothes, his Sunday Service during which he was said to have centred his preaching on repentance.
Bishop Otu at present being detained at the Eastern Ngwa Police Station in Obingwa LGA, where the investigation is ongoing.
However, the victim’s husband who could not be identified as of the time of this report was said to be out of the state but was in Bayelsa State, where he works.
Meanwhile, the P.R.O of the Police Command in Abia State, Maureen Chinaka, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said in a telephone chat with this reporter that she was yet to have the details of the incident.
