‘He said he was no longer interested’ – Woman stabs sleeping husband to death

Zenab Agbontine did the abominable when she

allegedly murdered her husband, Egberise

Agbontine, in Ubiane Aviele village near Auchi, Edo

State with an axe for refusing to eat the food she

prepared for him after he returned from work.

Despite his several years in the police force and

having seen different murder cases, Edo State

Police Commissioner, Mr Foluso Adebanjo, said he

could hardly conceal his shock as he related the

incident to Sunday Sun.

Zenab murdered Egberise while he was sleeping.

The Axe Queen had allegedly been quarrelling with

him for more than a week before the incident

happened.

On the fateful day, when the husband returned

from office, she prepared food for him. Without any

foreboding of the murderous thoughts whirling

around in the head of his wife, Egebrise took his

bath. But when the wife later told him that his

food was ready, Egberise was said to have refused

to eat the food she prepared.

The chain of events that ultimately led to the

tragic death of Egberise began long before the

incident Zenab told Sunday Sun in an interview.

She said: “I have been having quarrels with my

husband for a long time. We tried to settle the

matter without success. One day, my husband

came back from the office and told me that he was

not interested in the marriage anymore.

“I pleaded with him but he refused. I prepared food

for him but he refused to eat the food. With

annoyance he went to sleep. At about midnight

when my husband was asleep I went to the kitchen

and I took the axe and cut him on the neck several

times, he struggled until he died. It was the devil

that used me. I didn’t know what prompted me to

kill him but maybe because he said he was not

interested in the marriage again.

“The family of my husband should forgive me. I am

calling on the elders in the community in Auchi to

forgive me because it was ignorance and the devil

that used me as I now realize that I didn’t exercise

enough patience with my husband.”

Though Zenab has resigned herself to the fate

awaiting her after trial, the future of the three

children she had with the late Egberise is her

primary concern now. Amidst tears, she remarked

on the uncertain future of her children: “I know I

will face the consequence of my action but the

question is, who will take care of my children. I

have three children for him. Their father is dead

and their mother is on the way to the prison. It is

only God that will take care of my children.”

Adebanjo stated that the suspect would be

charged to court for murder.