Concern as man fails to attend funeral of murdered wife

CONCERNS were raised yesterday over the whereabouts of a Nigerian man who failed to attend the funeral of his murdered wife.

Chika Onyemaechi, aged 31, reported his wife Paiche Unyolo missing on July 8. Last Friday, her decomposed remains were found less than 15 miles from their Waterford city home, covered in a refuse bag and dumped under a bridge.

However, Mr Onyemaechi did not attend the funeral service of his wife in Waterford yesterday afternoon. Members of the non-national community who know the whereabouts of the missing Nigerian-born father of two have been asked to urge him to come forward.

Yesterday, more than 200 family and friends gathered for her funeral service at St Patrick's United Church in the city.

Chief celebrant Reverend Dr John Parkin said: "Chika's whereabouts are not known at the moment. If anyone knows where he is, will they please come forward to the police or they should come forward to me and I will pass a message on to them."

He also appealed to those gathered not to inflict further hurt on the family by spreading rumours about the deceased. "What has happened has outraged us. I want to plead especially to members of the African community in particular not to indulge in rumours and spreading rumours. Lets leave the investigation to the police."

Ms Unyolo was a devoted mother keen to help others, Rev Parkin added. She had allowed her home to be used for a wedding reception for a couple who had nowhere else to celebrate their nuptials.

Ms Unyolo's simple pine coffin with a single floral tribute with the word Sister written in black was brought into the church in the city centre yesterday, followed by her father, Malawian chief justice Leonard Unyolo, his son Leon and daughter Lucy.

After the ceremony, her remains were brought to St Otteran's Cemetery, just off the Upper Grange Road.

Parish priest in Piltown, Fr Paschal Moore, said the community in the Kilkenny village was stunned by the discovery of the young mother's body under the bridge in the area just last week. "We want to assure her family they are not alone, that they are in our prayers," he said.