A 7-year old pupil, Chibuike Oramalu has been detained by the Enugu State Police Command as the principal suspect in the murder of a 12-year-old boy, Oluebube Boniface.

The murder is believed to have been committed on May 29 by the juvenile suspect and according to his mother, he has been in police custody since May 30.

Chibuike’s mother, Nwakaego Oramalu said that the happenings that led to the arrest of her son took place at a home in Independence Layout area of Enugu, where she worked as a housekeeper and also lived with her children.

She said the property is owned by Edwin Oforma.

She said, “On May 29, while I was away at the Adoration Ministry at Emene in Enugu, for the Sunday church service, my boss’ son, Chukwunanu Oforma, a National Youth Service Corps member, asked my son, Chibuike, and Chibuike’s 10-year-old brother, Ifeanyichukwu, to tidy up a room belonging to his father.

“While Ifeanyichukwu swept the room, Chibuike laid the bed. Chibuike found a gun near the bed where he was working, and he took it to Ifeanyichukwu, who asked him to return it.

“It was while he was returning the gun that he mistakenly pulled the trigger, releasing a bullet which struck Oluebube, who was in the next compound, on the chest. He died on the spot.”

She further revealed that Chukwunanu and his father, Edwin, had yet to be seen since the shooting.

Also, she was called to return home from church after the incident. She explained that the policemen from the New Haven Police Station removed the dead body and took her and her children into custody.

Nwakaego and her children except Chibuike were released after the case was transferred to the State Criminal and Investigation Department, Police Headquarters, two days later.

According to Punch newspaper, the mother of the suspect said the police would not release the 7-year-old boy until her boss, the owner of the gun shows up.

Also, the police reportedly asked for N60,000 from Nwakaego and the father of the deceased to conduct an autopsy before Oluebube’s corpse would be released for burial.