Son murdered for using fake bank alert to buy cocaine

On the fateful night of September 10, 2024, Gloria George’s world shattered when her 34-year-old son, Horsefall Rowland, failed to return home.

He had informed his mother at about 3.30 pm that he was going for a meeting at Peter Odili Road and Government Reserved Area, GRA, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, respectively, but never returned.

The apprehensive mother had spoken to him at about 10 pm that day, and he had reassured her that he was on his way home. But as the hours ticked by, Gloria’s anxiety grew, as she was unable to reach her son.

Her worst fears were confirmed about 5am the next day, when her son called, frantic with worry, and told her that he was being held captive by ruthless kidnappers.

 As the family scrambled to raise the ransom for their son’s release, it received threatening voice notes and pictures from his captors,  warning that Rowland would be killed if the ransom was not  paid.

The family’s distress was evident as they sent the initial N30,000, fervently wishing for Rowland’s unharmed release. Tragically, it was too late, as Rowland’s lifeless body was later discovered along Queens/Kings Bakery ABULOMA road, Port Harcourt.

Mother’s narration

In her narration to the Police on November 1, 2024, the devastated mother said the kidnappers’ demands were relentless and merciless.

According to her, “When he called on September 9, 2024, about 5.05 am, he said that some persons held him and collected his phone. On that note, he requested for 30,000 to settle them, and I sent him the money. After that, his captors called and demanded for N2.5m though eventually the sum of N300,000 was later sent.

“The suspects at this point sent two threatening voice notes and pictures to Roland’s girlfriend, saying that  if they didn’t receive the N300,000 in the shortest time, we should consider Roland dead. The money was sent to Roland’s  account, and that was the last time we heard of him.”

Police investigation

Upon receiving the complaint, the Special Operation and Intelligence Team of the Rivers State Police Command swung into action, arresting five suspects.

They were Endurance Thompson, aged 23; Boma Otonye, 41; David Ishaku, 34; Moses Benjamin, 29 and Emmanuel, 32 years.

Confession

The prime suspect, Thomson, who was arrested in his hideout at Woji area of the state, confessed to the crime, revealing that Rowland was beaten to death after allegedly attempting to pay for hard drugs with a fake bank alert.

He alleged that the late Roland  met him on September 11, 2024 about 3am behind Port Harcourt zoo, Trans Amadi, where he (victim) came to buy hard drugs to smoke.

Source: Evelyn Usman