Wailing, lamentations as Silverbird Cinemas worker is buried

*Autopsy shows deceased not pregnant

Wailing and lamentations was the order of the day today at the burial of the late Silverbird Cinemas worker, Miss. Aishat Noble Mustapha, at Atan Cemetery in Yaba, Lagos State.

Friends, colleagues and family members were at the cemetery to pay their final respect as she was interred. The ceremony which lasted less than 30 minutes saw her being laid to rest at exactly 3:15pm.

This ceremony took place just as news from a close source to the family of the deceased revealed that autopsy result shows that the lady was not pregnant.

Mustapha was murdered near her house in Ogudu GRA, Lagos State. The deceased, 26, was said to be the only child of her parents. She was stabbed 11 times on March 14, around 7:30pm while returning from the office. Most of the stab wounds were targeted at her stomach.

One Chima Shadrack Mmuta, from Imo State, a young man who used to live with his uncle in the neighbourhood had been arrested in connection with the murder.

Chima has repeatedly denied killing Mustapha, stressing that he only dashed out to rescue her when he heard her cries for help. Some people in the area insisted they saw him stabbed her. Police said it recovered Mustapha’s blood stained phone from Chima. If this latest information is true that the deceased is not pregnant, it means police will begin seeking new motive to Chima, allegedly murdering Mustapha.

The Police Spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, said that the knife used in inflicting the deadly stabs that led to her death had also being recovered.

Mustapha’s neighbour, who spoke a few days ago, alleged that Chima got Mustapha pregnant, but was in a fix because he did not want his wife to find out. He felt that it was better to get Mustapha out of the way to save his marriage, thus resorted to murder.

Mustapha was buried according to Islamic rite. Speaking during the burial, family spokesperson and in-law, Mr. Abubakar Aruna charged the police to ensure justice was done by fishing out Mustapha’s killer and bringing the person to book.

Mustapha’s colleague, David Ubadike said her death still seems like a dream to him.

He added mournfully: “There is nothing to do now, than to call on almighty God to accept her soul and for the police to do justice by getting her killer.”

Speaking yesterday, Nwosu said: “Whether the lady is buried or not, it would not stop police going on with its investigation. There is no time limit attached to any crime. The family requested for the corpse, saying they wanted to bury her. The police will continue its investigations. Crime has no time limit. I want to say the police are still on its investigations on her death. Some tests have been conducted and autopsy examination also, but we cannot add to the family’s trauma, they requested the burial and we allowed it.”