The alleged murderous lover of Lizzy Nzewe is now in police net, true to the promise made by Ngozi Braide, Lagos police spokesman.
Lagos State Police Commissioner, Umar Manko.
Kelechi Williams, the suspect, an indigene of Umorji in Anambra State, allegedly strangled the 39-year-old wealthy businesswoman in her home and fled Nigeria.
He allegedly made away with $50,000 and valuables worth over N8 million, as well as a car, mobile telephones and ATM cards.
Williams, 33, was arrested in Cote d’Ivoire and is now in the custody of the police in Nigeria undergoing interrogation.
He was said to be a lover of Nzewe and was well known to her neighbours. He allegedly strangled her to death at her residence on Green Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos on Monday, July 21.
Police officers accuse Williams of being a serial killer with a dark criminal history.
Nigerian police report said he was formerly based in South Africa where he was declared wanted by the police after committing a series of crimes.
He had fled to South Africa then relocated to Ghana where he lived until he met Nzewe. He started shuttling between Ghana and Nigeria to spend time with his lover who was six years older than him.
It was learnt that everything seemed well between them until Williams proposed marriage, which Nzewe turned down. Police alleged that he killed her to enrich himself with her wealth.
Investigation showed that Nzewe had gone to the bank with Williams on the day she later met her death.
At the bank, she withdrew N4 million for a holiday trip abroad which she was planning for herself and her four children.
The couple left the bank and went back to Nzewe’s home. Williams reportedly told the security guard to open the gate for him at about 2.30am and drove out in Nzewe’s Range Rover car.
The security guard said he did not bother to stop him because he was well known to him as a frequent visitor to the home.
Relatives who discovered Nzewe’s body immediately contacted the police Area E command in Festac Town who dispatched officers to the scene. They examined her body and deposited it in a mortuary.
Police tracked his movement through social media platforms which showed that Williams fled to Ghana and on to Cote d’ Ivoire.
He was arrested on Tuesday, July 29 by Ivoirien police following collaboration among Nigerian, Ghanaian and Ivoirien police forces using the Interpol.
Nzewe, a divorcee and manager in a private company, was said to have been in the relationship with William for more than a year.
Braide had earlier addressed a press conference in Lagos where he alleged that “[Williams] strangled her with a rope. He locked up the place, packed her money, phones, passports and about N8 million and ran away. We believe he ran to Ghana.”
She recalled that in the morning of the murder, Nzewe’s brother, who was supposed to meet her, came over to her home after his calls to her telephone number were not answered.
He became worried when he noticed that the house was locked and went to report at Festac police station.
“The security guard told policemen that the last person he saw was Williams. The police forced the door open and saw the corpse. We will get him. It is only a matter of time,” Braide promised.
