A 32-year-old mother-of-nine, Esther Godday, has been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command for allegedly stealing a bunch of plantains and murdering the owner in the process.
According to reports, this incident occurred on January 28, 2024, in the Agada community in Abua Local Government, Rivers State.
It was gathered that Esther has nine children and is pregnant with her tenth child.
According to her, catering for such a large family has been very challenging, especially since her husband is jobless and doesn’t contribute to feeding the children.
“He goes out in the morning and returns at night just to sleep,” she was quoted to have said.
She was also quoted to have said that her children don’t attend school because she’s unable to afford the expenses.
In a bid to feed the family, Esther allegedly said, she resorted to stealing from people’s farms.
Esther has nine children and is pregnant with her tenth
On that particular day, Police allege, she stole a bunch of plantains and while she was sneaking out, Mrs. Imeran Idema, who was the owner of the farm, caught her.
‘When the woman asked her to drop the bunch of plantains, she allegedly refused and decided to run away,” Police said; adding that Imeran chased her with a machete, and when she caught up with her, she allegedly struck Esther’s right foot with the machete.
“In retaliation, Esther struck Imeran on the head and shoulder.
“When she saw that Imeran had fainted, she ran away, leaving the bunch of plantains behind,” the Police added.
Reports say Imeran was quickly rushed to the hospital by members of her family, and the matter was reported to the police.
A few hours later, Esther was arrested, and during the interrogation, she reportedly said, “Yes! I stole the plantains. But when she cut me with her machete, I had to cut her back.”
Since she was still bleeding from her foot, the police released her to undergo medical treatment.
However, two days later, she was rearrested, and it was at the police station that she heard that Imeran had died while receiving treatment in the hospital.
After receiving the tragic news, Esther was said to have expressed regrets for her actions and wished she could turn back the hand of time.
The Rivers State Police Command said it has charged the suspect to court for murder.
The Commissioner of Police for the Rivers State Police Command, CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, emphasized the need for thoughtful consideration in making life decisions.
He also urged couples to only have the number of children they can take care of and lead accountable lives.
CP Disu also stated that hunger and poverty are not excuses for committing crimes and that justice will always prevail in every circumstance.
