Monday Agbonika, Edo State Police Commissioner
A teenager, Tega Emajuwa, and two of his accomplices have been arraigned for the murder of his 12-year-old cousin, Emiliano Egwunbare, for alleged money ritual.
Emajuwa, 18, and two of his friends, Edugie Destiny, aged 20, and Osayande Vincent, aged 23, kidnapped Egwunbare at Obagie Community, Egor local government area of Edo State.
Sources say Emajuwa had stayed with the parents of late Emiliano for few months before carrying out the dastardly act on September 16, 2025.
He was said to have collected ransom from the parents of the deceased but failed to release him. He was however tracked down by the police and arrested
Police source said Emajuwa confessed to the crime one week after his arrest and his two partners in crime, Destiny and Vincent were also arrested and they led the police to a well where they dumped the body of Emiliano.
Some of his vital organs had reportedly been harvested.
Deputy spokesman of the Edo Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, assistant superintendent of police, (ASP) confirmed the incident but denied allegations that the suspects have been released.
Ikoedem said the case was initially reported at Ogida Police Division and later transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit, Benin, for discreet investigation.
According to her, “Following sustained tactical and technical intelligence, operatives of the unit arrested three suspects — Tega Emajuwa ‘m’ aged 18, Edugie Destiny ‘m’ aged 20 and Osayande Vincent ‘m’ aged 23 — who all made confessional statements linking them to the crime. Sadly, during the course of investigation, the victim’s body was later discovered inside a well in Obagie Community. The remains were evacuated and deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) mortuary for autopsy.
“In a viral video recently circulated on social media, the mother of the deceased alleged that the suspects have been released from police custody.
“The Edo State Police Command wishes to categorically state that this claim is false, misleading, and unfounded. The suspects remained in lawful custody until they were charged to court on 16th October 2025, where the case is currently, while they have all been remanded for prosecution. The said mother was of the deceased was present in court during the proceedings.”