A laborer has been charged with the brutal murder of his employer, 60-year-old Mrs. Adelugba, in Láòsò, a settlement near Laje Camp in the Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
According to a source who spoke with Hope Newspaper, a publication by the Ondo State Government, Mrs. Adelugba was a well-known farmer who owned three farms in the area. She had one daughter who lives in Abuja with her husband.
Recently, Mrs. Adelugba completed her new house at Miracle Land, FFF, Ondo, and had hired a laborer to assist her with farm work, allowing him to live with her at the Láòsò settlement.
The source revealed that last week, the laborer was caught stealing kola nuts from one of the farms without her permission. When confronted, he begged her not to report him, as village tradition dictates that anyone caught stealing would face banishment.
He proposed to either pay for the stolen kola nuts or have the cost deducted from his wages at the end of the year, a compromise she accepted.
However, on Saturday, in a shocking incident, the laborer tracked Mrs. Adelugba’s movements to her farm and attacked her with a machete, killing her. He then concealed her body with leaves and palm fronds before fleeing to the village.
Police sources confirmed that the suspect was initially detained at the Fagun Police Division and has since been transferred to the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) in Akure for further investigation.
The family of the deceased has been instructed to visit the police headquarters on Wednesday to obtain the necessary clearance for her burial. If they receive permission early in the day, the burial will take place the same day; otherwise, it will be postponed until Thursday.
The Ondo State Police Command has verified the incident and stated that investigations are ongoing.
