Police in Benin, the Edo State capital, have arrested the Pastor of Fresh Oil Ministry, Apostle Sam Okpe, who invited a popular gospel artiste in Benin for a gospel entertainment but was later found dead in a hotel in Benin City.
Investigations by our correspondent reveals that the female gospel singer, identified as Yvonne Omoarebokhae, was found dead in a hotel allegedly owned by a member of the Edo State House of Assembly.
According to police reports, the gospel singer was said to have lodged in a hotel with the pastor who invited her to perform in his church.
It was learnt that the gospel singer met the pastor on Facebook and after series of chatting for months, the late singer was invited last week by the pastor to entertain his congregation in Warri, the commercial hub of Delta State.
Apostle Sam was alleged to have claimed that he had a programme in Benin, Warri, and Asaba where the deceased was invited to perform for the congregation. Deal settled and sealed on Facebook, the gospel artiste set out for the business.
Following the confirmation and invitation by the said apostle, the woman informed her husband, Odion that she was leaving for the event and would be home after visiting the three centres for the crusade.
But, rather than the gospel singer coming home, the husband was called by the police to report at the Airport Road Police Station in Benin City on Friday, April 8, 2016.
In his narrative to journalists, Odion with tear ridden eyes said he waited for two hours at the station until the police asked him to go home but he insisted on seeing his wife or knowing her whereabouts.
He said his wife called him at about 10am last Friday that she would be home soon.
“At about 9:30pm, the police used my wife’s phone to call and invited me to report at the Airport Road Police Station. I waited for more than two hours at the police station until the police asked me to go home but I insisted on knowing the whereabouts of my wife,” Odion said.
“The DPO later told me that my wife was picked at a hotel in the GRA and rushed to the Benin Central hospital where she was confirmed dead.
I am yet to see the corpse of my wife to know what happened and who is responsible for her death. We have a three-year old baby at home,” he said.
It was however, revealed that the pastor has been arrested and aiding the police in their findings.
Chris Ezike, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, confirmed the death of the gospel, adding that investigation into the death was in progress.
