CLAIM: Mr. Success Emmanuel, one of the suspects arrested in Abuja for luring, kidnapping, and killing an Abuja based widow, Mrs. Janet Nnenna Ogbonnaya is a gospel artiste.
VERDICT: True
EVIDENCE: 1. A Taekwando head coach, Samson Okorie in a telephone conversation with TNG confirmed that Succes Emmanuel is a Taekwando belt holder and member of his club.
EVIDENCE 2. Photo evidence obtained on Success Emmanuel’s Facebook account in which he displayed Taekwondo skills.
EVIDENCE 3. TNG also obtained the design art of one of the CD covers for a gospel song released by Emmanuel. Another proof is a picture of Mr. Success Emmanuel handling the camera mounted on a tripod.
FULL TEXT: Heated arguments engulfed the social media on the religious status of Success Emmanuel, the youngest among the three siblings arrested in Abuja on the 4th June 2020 for killing a 55-year-old widow, Mrs. Janet Nnenna Ogbonnaya.
Recall that the suspects – Johnson Emmanuel (38yrs), Gideon Emmanuel (31yrs), and Success Emmanuel (27yrs) – were all arrested by the police in their hometown in Imo State where they had taken refuge after committing the crime in order to evade police arrest.
The victim, Mrs. Janet Nnenna Ogbonnaya, a 55-year-old native of Ozuitem in Bende LGA of Abia State, was killed after she visited Johnson in his home (at Wumba District, Lokogoma area of Abuja), according to Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba.
Since the story broke, a lot of Nigerians have been posting the suspect’s pictures that depict him as a gospel singer and preacher. The viral image is a combo of two photos: A. the suspect as a Gospel Artist and B. another where he was handcuffed.
The arguments raised intense controversy over Success’s real identity. A lot believed Success Emmanuel is not a Gospel Artist, while others claim he is. This prompted immediate research by the TNG FACT CHECK TEAM, we obtained the underlisted pieces of evidence that shows the real status of the controversial suspect.
Firstly; the Facebook page of Mr. Success Emmanuel had his pictures as a gospel singer with the stage name “KINGSCEA”. TNG FACT CHECK went further to Google search for “KINGSCEA” and it turned out to described KINGSCEA as the stage name belonging to gospel singer and preacher named Success Emmanuel residing in Wumba District, Lokogoma, Abuja, the same address where he had allegedly committed the crime.
Secondly, apart from his profession as a gospel singer and preacher, his Facebook profile which TNG tracked via Google, shows he is also a Taekwando Coach, Mr. Success, a graduate of National Diploma (ND) at the Akannu Biam Federal Polytechnic Unwanna, Ebonyi also represented his alma-mater in Taekwando, at the West African Polytechnic games in 2015 at Accra Polytechnic Ghana.
Thirdly; TNG FACT CHECK also secured the phone number of one Mr. Samson Okorie, a Porthacourt based Taekwando Coach. (The same phone number was also seen on a CD cover posted on Mr Success’s Facebook page).
According to Mr. Okorie, the pictures on Facebook showing Mr Success as Gospel Singer and Taekwando Coach are real.
His words; “…He is my colleague, I am the head coach of the Taekwando group while Mr Success is the one heading Abuja branch… I can confirm he is the one arrested with his two brothers by the police in connection with the widow’s death… I am coming to Abuja to see him…the Facebook picture are real…” Okorie added.
CONCLUSION: All the claimants where all right on social media, Mr. Success Emmanuel arrested alongside his two elder siblings Gideon and Johnson is a Gospel singer.