- I only fired shots at a rabbit – culprit
A farmer, Sunny Ebhodagbe, has shot and killed his younger brother, Omon, during a hunting expedition in Otuo community, Imokpe Quarters, Owan-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Ebhodagbe has, however, claimed that he shot his younger sibling in error, having mistaken him for an animal.
Already, homicide detectives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Benin, have launched investigations into the incident.
The incident, which occurred about three weeks ago, has since put the Otuo Community in very sad mood.
Our correspondent gathered that the deceased and his elder brother, who is now a principal suspect in the matter, had embarked on a hunting expedition in the night with the aim of killing bush meat and other animals that might come their way.
As the two brothers got to an intersection in the bush, they were said to have decided to take different directions in order not to disturb each other in their search for their games.
But after about one hour, Ebhodagbe was said to have sighted a rabbit in the bush, aimed his gun at it and then released a volley of bullets.
Convinced that he had killed the rabbit, the elder brother went in search of the animal, but to his amazement and shock, he stumbled on the lifeless body of his younger brother.
“Dazed by the development, he ran through the bush path towards home, but could not hold himself. Villagers who met him running home almost immediately suspected that something terrible was wrong with the young man,” a source said.
Our correspondent was informed that the confused man, who had become jittery, threw away his gun and mustered courage to explain what happened to some elders in the community before he ran away to another community to take refuge.
Ebhodagbe was later arrested by the police after two weeks in hiding.
“The suspect was being hotly sought by the police for two weeks before he finally showed up. He reported himself to the police when he realised that there was no hiding place for him”, the source said.
Our source further disclosed that when the suspect was drilled at the local police station, he broke down, insisting that he only shot a rabbit and not his younger brother.
“Nobody would believe him. His other brothers would not believe him, rather. The police see his claim as a tale by the moonlight,” he said.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that the matter had been transferred to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department, Benin, while Omon’s corpse had been deposited at a public morgue for autopsy.
Also, at the State CID, Benin, the suspect was said to have insisted that he only shot at a rabbit during the hunting expedition with his younger brother.
Investigation into the matter has, however, continued.
