Court remands mortician for allegedly stealing corpse

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi, Benue State, on Thursday, ordered that a 37-year-old mortician, Valentine Eze, be remanded at the Correctional Centre for allegedly stealing a corpse. Eze, who resides at N.K.S.T. Ukauwa in the Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue, was charged with criminal breach of trust.  However, when the case came up […]

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi, Benue State, on Thursday, ordered that a 37-year-old mortician, Valentine Eze, be remanded at the Correctional Centre for allegedly stealing a corpse.

Eze, who resides at N.K.S.T. Ukauwa in the Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue, was charged with criminal breach of trust. 

However, when the case came up for mention, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Regina Alashi, ordered the remand of the defendant and adjourned the matter until March 3 for hearing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Friday Kanshio, told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Ihugh, to the State CID, Makurdi.

According to the prosecution, one Terna Orumye reported that his nephew’s corpse was missing from the mortuary. Orumye stated that he had deposited the body at the N.K.S.T. Mkar mortuary under the custody of the defendant for preservation and embalmment.

He further stated that when he returned to the mortuary on December 18, 2025, to retrieve the corpse for burial, the defendant failed to produce it. 

The complainant alleged that the defendant claimed the corpse had been stolen by unknown persons.

The prosecutor added that the defendant was subsequently arrested and, during police investigation, confessed to the crime. 

The offence, the prosecution said, contravenes Section 313 of the Penal Code Law of Benue, 2004. (NAN)