Cook Drugs Family, After Two Weeks Of Employment

poison: The suspects, Victor Hounkpe (right) and David Amusu.

A Beninoise cook, yesterday, narrated how he drugged his boss’ family two months ago, in Lekki area of Lagos, to have free access into their inner rooms to steal jewellery and cash.

The incident, which happened two weeks after he was employed by one Omowunmi Fadojutimi, would have reportedly snuffed life out of her, her husband and two domestic workers but for providence.The 34-year-old suspect, Victor Hounkpe, however, disclosed that the substance was given to him by David Amusu, who is also a Beninoise and former cook to the victim.

On April 22, Hounkpe was reportedly instructed to prepare vegetable soup by his unsuspecting boss. But he reportedly put a substance into the soup and served everyone.

Trouble started for the family after Fadojutimi’s husband, Mr. Nwogu Chinaka, developed severe stomach ache and reportedly collapsed. While his distraught wife was rushing him to a nearby hospital amidst severe pains, she also reportedly started feeling severe pains in the stomach, resulting in her collapsing in front of the hospital’s gate.

Shortly after, two domestic staff said to have also eaten from the vegetable soup were also rushed to same hospital, where it was discovered that their food had been poisoned.

Arrest

Parading the suspect alongside his partner in crime before journalists yesterday at the Lagos State Command headquarters, Ikeja, the command boss, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, explained that the suspects were arrested following a petition by Fadojutimi over the incident.

He said while doctors were battling to save the lives of the victims, it was discovered that Hounkpe had sneaked out of the house.

Aderanti said: “Efforts to arrest him proved abortive initially. But he was eventually arrested through investigation and deployment of advanced technology.

“During interrogation, he confessed to have put some substances in the food served and further confessed that David Amusu, the former cook, who recommended him to the complainant, gave him the substance and directed him on how to administer it.

“He admitted that their intention was to gain unfettered access into the inner rooms and rob the complainant after they must have passed out.”

Hounkpe said he was promised a part of the loot that would have been got from the robbery, that his role was to open the door for David Amusu and other members of the robbery gang that fateful day.

According to him, “I put the substance into their food and it was given to me by David. He told me the drug was a sleeping tablet and that it would put them all to sleep so that they would gain easy access into the house.

“But I took to my heels when the gate man told me that the doctors said they were suffering from food poisoning.”

I ground 10 tablets of Super Appetite— Amusu

On his part, 34-year-old David Amusu, claimed the idea was sold to him by Victor Hounkpe.

His words: “I left my former boss because I was not feeling well. I have recommended four cooks to her but she kept saying they were not good.

“Hounkpe was the last person I introduced to her. But when he got the job, he called me and said we should rob the family, that they were rich. He asked if I had any sleeping tablet that would put them to sleep.

“So I ground 10 tablets of Super Appetite and gave it to him. Our intention was never to kill anyone but to rob and leave for Benin Republic, where we intend to establish our business.”

He advised members of the public to avail themselves of the services of the command in profiling domestic assistance before employing them

Vanguard