Mr. Richard   Inimgba, a resident of Amadi-Ama axis of Port Harcourt city is presently helping the police to explain the circumstances surrounding the death of his seven-year-old son, Tamunoibuemie Inimgba.

 Tamunoibuemie was beaten to death Saturday midnight at Amadi-Ama community in Port Harcourt.  There are   many versions to the story of the death of the little boy. One version has it that the boy was beaten to death for disobeying his father’s directives while another version says he stole a sum of N1, 000 belonging to the father. 

Another version stated that the little boy was hit with an object by his father and he died instantly. When our reporter visited the Amadi-Ama home of Mr. Inimgba, the circumstances surrounding the death of the little boy dominated discussion among residents.
A neighbor of Inimgba who simply gave his name as Michael said Inimgba killed his son at about 12.00am Saturday morning. He said that as soon as that happened the suspect called a carpenter whom he begged to prepare a coffin for him. “He lied to the carpenter that his son died and that he wanted to bury him quickly that night. The carpenter suspected foul play and raised alarm, which attracted residents.   The residents called in the police and he was arrested.’’
A female resident described Mr. Inimgba as a violent man and a wife-beater. The source recalled how Tamunoibuemie’s mother packed out of her matrimonial home because of the violent nature of the man.  She said his first wife and mother of the deceased, packed out several months ago for that reason. The recent incident that made the woman quit the marriage was that she delivered her second baby through caesarean section and two weeks after that, the man wanted to have intercouse with her. When the lady refused to yield, he beat her to a pulp. She sustained serious injuries and eventually packed out of the house,’’ she said, adding that the woman’s attempt to go along with her son was rebuffed by Mr Inimgba who threatened to kill her.
Mr Inimgba may have carried out some of his violent acts under the influence of illicit drugs, the source said. The suspect was a former staff of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas but was dismissed by the management of the company when a test conducted on him revealed drugs in his blood.
A neighbor confirmed that Mr. Inimgba is a bully. “No day passes without the man beating somebody in his house. It’s either he is beating his wife or the son. The first wife had to pack out because of that. Even the second wife who is pregnant, he beats often. The little boy that he murdered had suffered so much. He starved him of food and always whips him. This little boy goes for days without food. The boy relied on remnants that come  from neighbours to sustain him. The father picks a quarrel with anybody that attempts to give the little boy food or any kind of help,’’ he stated.
The source stated that neighbours tried to revive the boy when it was discovered he was unconscious, but it was too late. “This man is very violent. He is a killer. He nearly killed the mother of the boy if not that the lady ran for her dear life,” he said.
A lady who identified herself as Mama said she was not in talking terms with the man because there was a day he was dragging the boy on the road and she cautioned him on the manner he was maltreating him. “He was very angry with me and warned me to steer clear from his family affairs.  The man is very violent.
Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni confirmed that the suspect was arrested by the police. He said that there was misunderstanding between the deceased and the father before the man began to beat the little boy until he died.
Residents of the area called on the police not to treat the matter with kid gloves. A resident, Chris Jona, urged law enforcement agents to prosecute the suspect so it would serve as a deterrent to others.
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