A 36-year old man, Onyekachi Anele has been arrested by the Imo State Police Command for slapping his wife to death.

Anele claimed his late wife had the effrontery to slap him back during a squabble.

IAnele and his late wife, Chikodi, were residents of Obiniezena in Owerri North Local Government Area.

Vanguard reports that Anele, who had two children with his late wife, blamed the incident on the alleged effrontery of his spouse to insult him over N100.

He said: “When she insulted me over N100, I got angry and slapped her. But she immediately retaliated. I was shocked by her effrontery. I slapped her a second time. She fell down and fainted.”

While answering a question, the suspect who had since become very sober, said that he loved his wife and had no intention of killing her.

He said: “I love my wife. I had no intention to kill her. It was a little misunderstanding and annoyance that prompted me to slap her and she died.”

Meanwhile, the leadership of Imo Women Network has appealed to the police to ensure speedy investigation and justice in the matter.

The Coordinator-General of the group, Dr. Joyce Soroibe, lamented what she called “the increasing rate of domestic violence in Nigeria.”

According to her, “if the perpetrators of domestic violence are adequately punished, others who are in the habit of beating their wives will definitely learn a lesson or two. However, if nothing is done to punish a perpetrator, more women may be slapped to death in the state.”