Police confirm arrest of Pastor over the death of female evangelist lover in hotel room

The Abia State Police Command has arrested Bishop Timothy Otu, the General Overseer of the Agape Evangelical Ministry, over the death of Mrs Happiness Echieze, his alleged female evangelist lover, in a hotel in Aba.

ASP Maureen Chinaka, the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, stated that Otu had checked into a hotel in the Obingwa council area with the 43-year-old woman, who was later found dead in the room with her clothes removed.

Sources said that Otu checked into the hotel to allegedly have sex with Echieze, who was a female evangelist in his church and said to be a mother of three with her husband based in Bayelsa State.

“On the 13th of August 2023, at approximately 9:30 am, Mr Godwin Akpan (male), residing at Jubilee Guest House in Ovom Village, Obingwa LGA, reported to the Isiala Ngwa Police Division that an incident had occurred.

“It was revealed that on the evening of the 12th of August 2023, around 09:25 pm, a clergyman named Timothy Otu (male), associated with Agape Evangelical Ministry at Obikabia Junction in Obingwa LGA, had checked into the hotel alongside a woman named Happiness Echieze (female) from Isialangwa LGA, Abia State. Happiness Echieze was 43 years of age.

“Further details provided by Mr Akpan indicated that on the same date, around 12:00 am (midnight), he entered the hotel room of the aforementioned clergyman and discovered the lifeless body of Happiness Echieze.

“She was found unclothed, and a white substance was emanating from her mouth and nose. Regrettably, the clergyman was absent from the scene.

“We hereby inform the public that immediate preliminary investigations have been launched into this matter. The corpse has been transported from the location and is currently at the SDA Mortuary in Aba, awaiting an autopsy examination.

“Additionally, we wish to convey that the suspected individual in this case has been apprehended. The case has been transferred to the State CID for discreet investigations,” Chinaka said.

Chinaka said Otu has been arrested while the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID.