Man commits suicide after killing wife with sledge hammer in Bayelsa

By BASSEY WILLIE

A 46-year-old man, Patrick Markson, has committed suicide after killing his wife, Hannah Markson in Bayelsa State.

The incident, which occurred at Odede Street, Tombia-Amassoma Road, Yenagoa, the capital, caused palpable tension in the community in the early hours of Thursday.

The couple, it was gathered, had a minor argument, which led to fighting.

Witnesses said the husband hit his wife with a sledgehammer and she died on the spot.

They said the husband, after realising that his wife had passed out, drank a poisonous substance suspected to be an insecticide, which led to his death.

Daily Trust gathered that the deceased had six children together.

Police in Bayelsa State have confirmed the incident.
A police spokesman in the state, SP Asinim Butswat, said the bodies of the deceased have been evacuated to the morgue and that investigation is ongoing to unravel the cause of the incident.

He said: “Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command have evacuated two corpses of a husband and wife at Odede Street, off Tombia- Amassoma road, Yenagoa.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that one Patrick Markson ‘m’ 46 years, a native of Onopa, Yenagoa, attacked and killed his wife, Hannah Markson ‘f’ with a hammer. Thereafter drank a poisonous substance suspected to be a sniper which led to his death.

“Photograph of the scene were taken; the hammer and bottle of the sniper were recovered as exhibits. The investigation is ongoing.” (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Daily Trust)