The police in Osun State have arrested Mrs Folasade Olawale for alleged conspiracy, arson and murder of her three-year-old stepdaughter, Ikimoh Akeem.
The suspect, who is the wife of the Alabudo of Abudo, a community in the Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, was said to have set a building on fire while the victim was sleeping inside.
The Commissioner of Police in Osun State, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, on Thursday said the suspect and two others conspired to set the building on fire, killing the girl in the process.
He said some other persons, who were inside the building were also injured, adding that the monarch’s wife, together with one Waheed Oladosu and Sherif Tijani, allegedly set the building on fire.
Adeoye said the 45-year-old monarch, Oba Morufudeen Olawale, reported the incident to the police and said jealousy was responsible for his wife’s action.
He said, “The suspects on June 5, 2018, left Ede for Abudo, a village in the Egbedore Local Government Area, and set ablaze the house of one Olawale Kadijat, aged 20, in Abudo.
“Consequently, one Ikimoh Akeem, a three-year-old girl, lost her life, while Khadijat, the fourth wife of the monarch,was injured by the fire and admitted to a hospital for treatment,
“Investigation revealed that the female suspect did not support the marriage of her husband to the fourth wife and because of this, she conspired with the other suspects to carry out the crime.”
The suspect was, however, unable to answer questions asked her by journalists, as she kept crying.