A 23-year old man who was among a three-man robbery gang that robbed, raped and killed a 65-year old woman is now in police net.

Samuel Okorie from Lokpa-Ukwu village in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, in company of two others still at large, robbed Mrs. Anthonia Dike, raped her, shot and killed her. No further detail of the woman was given.

Okorie was among 25 suspected criminals paraded by the Abia State Police Command, Thursday for car snatching, armed robbery and kidnapping.

The DPO of Umuokpara Police Station said Okorie who is a commercial motorcyclist and operates in Okigwe, Imo State and the other two accomplices trailed their victims in a commercial bus from Lokpa-Ukwu and caught up with them at Ofeme, a suburb of Umuahia, the Abia State capital, where they carried out the robbery along the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.

The DPO said the suspects raped all females in the bus, including girls and the slain woman. The Police said the woman was returning from a business trip to Jos where she had gone to buy some goods.

On receiving a distress call, the Police stormed the robbery scene and nabbed Okorie while the other two suspects escaped into the bush.

In an interview withNews Express, Okorie claimed he did not participate in the robbery but was just the “pilot” of the escapees who brought them with his motorcycle.

“My name is Samuel Okorie, from Lokpa-Ukwu village. I am the pilot,” he said.

Speaking in pidgin English, he said he conveyed the two men who carried out the robbery while he was on his bike, ready to escape. “They robbed the bus, killed one woman there and raped some girls. I was by the side of the bush waiting for them to finish so that I will take them back. But I don'’t know how they escaped and Police came and arrested me and took me to Umuokpara Police Station.”

Samuel who claimed that his ‘passengers’ did not disclose their mission to him, said he knew they were going for a robbery operation.

Also on parade was 18-year old Princewill Chinweotito from Umuikiri village in Obingwa who robbed a girl with a toy gun.

The incident took place in the Ogbor-Hill area of Aba when the suspect pointed his “gun” at the girl and snatched her handbag containing N7,000 cash, one hand set, bank booklets and other valuables. The victim raised the alarmed.

Abia State Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade, attributed the rounding up of the suspected criminals to relentless efforts of Policemen in the state in their fight against crime and criminality.

Oyebade said the Command has adopted strategies aimed at ridding Abia of crime and criminality.

“Some of these strategies which are proactive in nature are geared towards fostering a robust synergy between the Police and the public with the target of confidence-building and earning the trust of the citizens and inhabitants of this state,” the Police Commissioner said.

He added that “the resolve led to the introduction of visibility policing, aggressive patrols and intelligence-led policing, among others.” Oyebade warned criminals to flee from Abia as he would make the state “very hot” for them.