The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Akorede Arowolo

  • Murdered banker: Court reserves judgment

    A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Monday reserved judgment in the trial of Akolade Arowolo, who allegedly stabbed his wife, Titilayo, a banker, to death, sometime in 2011.

    Justice Lateefat Okunnu informed both counsel in the case that the date for judgment would be communicated to them later by the court.

    Okunnu stated this after both parties had re-adopted their final written addresses.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Arowolo, 31, was arraigned on December 21, 2011, on a one –count charge of unlawful killing of his wife by stabbing her several times, but pleaded innocence of the crime.

    The state Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, had earlier told the court that the accused murdered Titilayo on June 24, 2011, at their residence at No. 8, Akindeinde Street, Isolo, Lagos.

    Re-adopting the address, Ogungbesan argued that the prosecution had proven its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt.

    She said,“ The evidence we have that led as to the fact that the deceased is dead is not in doubt.

    “The only person that was with the deceased before her death at the material time was the accused.”

    The DPP said Arowolo admitted that he “struggled’’ with the deceased with a knife which led to her death and thereafter, escaped from the crime scene.

    Ogungbesan said the Chief Pathologist at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof. John Obafunwa, also testified that the deceased was stabbed 76 times.

    She said Arowolo chose to use a lethal weapon (knife) with the knowledge that death or grievous bodily harm was the probable consequence of his action.

    “No other person could have been responsible for the death of the deceased.

    “I urge my lord to convict the accused as charged having proved all the essential ingredients of murder.”

    Arowolo’s counsel, Mr. Olarenwaju Ajanaku, however, urged the court to dismiss the charge and acquit the accused.

     

  • Murdered banker: Court picks December 23 for final addresses

    A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, has fixed December 23 for the re-adoption of final written addresses in the trial of Akolade Arowolo, accused of killing his wife, Titilayo.

    The trial judge, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, fixed the date on Thursday, due to Arowolo’s absence in court when the prosecution and the defence adopted the addresses.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Arowolo, 31, was charged to court for allegedly stabbing his wife, a banker, to death.

    He was arraigned on December 21, 2011 on a one-count charge of murder and had pleaded not guilty.

    The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, alleged that the accused murdered Titilayo on June 24, 2011 at their residence at No. 8, Akindeinde Street, Isolo, Lagos.

    Ogungbesan, while adopting the prosecution’s written address on December 4, had asked the court to convict Arowolo for the offence.

    The DPP argued that the prosecution had proven its case against the accused, beyond reasonable doubt.

    “The evidence we have led as to the fact that the deceased is dead, is not in doubt.

    “The only person that was with the deceased before her death, at the material time, was the accused,” she said.

    According to her, Arowolo admitted that he struggled with the deceased with a knife, which led to her death and thereafter, escaped from the crime scene.

    Ogungbesan said the pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa, had testified that the deceased was stabbed 76 times.

     

     

  • DPP seeks death penalty for slain banker’s husband

    The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Wednesday asked the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, to convict one Akolade Arowolo for allegedly stabbing his wife to death.

    The DPP, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, made the call in her final address at the trial of Arowolo before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Arowolo, 31, was arraigned for allegedly stabbing his wife, Titilayo, a banker, to death.

    The DPP alleged that the accused murdered Titilayo on June 24, 2011 at their residence at No. 8, Akindeinde Street, Isolo, Lagos.

    Addressing the court, Ogungbesan argued that the prosecution had proved its case against the accused “beyond reasonable doubt.”

    She said: “The evidence we have led as to the fact that the deceased is dead is not in doubt.

    “The only person that was with the deceased before her death at the material time was the accused.”

    The DPP said that Arowolo admitted that he struggled with the deceased with a knife, which led to her death and thereafter, escaped from the crime scene.

    Ogungbesan said the pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa, also testified that the deceased was stabbed 76 times.

    She said that Arowolo chose to use a lethal weapon (knife) with the knowledge that death or grievous bodily harm was the probable consequence of his action.

    “No other person could have been responsible for the death of the deceased.

    “I urge my lord to convict the accused as charged, having proved all the essential ingredients of murder,” Ogungbesan said.

    However, Arowolo’s Counsel, Mr. Olarenwaju Ajanaku, urged the court to dismiss the charge and acquit Arowolo.

    Ajanaku said the prosecution had failed to prove its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt as required by law.

     

     

  • Arowolo: Court picks December 4 for final addresses

    A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Thursday fixed December 4 for the adoption of final written addresses in the trial of Akorede Arowolo, charged with the murder of his wife, Titilayo.

    Justice Lateefat Okunnu also granted Arowolo’s counsel, Mr. Olarenwaju Ajanaku, an extension of time to file his written address.

    She directed the state prosecutor, Mr. Femi Adamson, to file his reply to the written address within five days after being served by the defence.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Arowolo, 31, was arraigned for allegedly stabbing his wife, a banker, to death.

    He was arraigned on December 21, 2011, on a one-count charge of murder and had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The accused was, thereafter, remanded in Ikoyi Prison.

    The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) alleged that the accused murdered Titilayo on June 24, 2011, at their residence, No. 8, Akindeinde Street, Isolo, Lagos.

    The prosecution closed its case against the accused on November 19, 2012, after calling 12 witnesses.

    The witnesses included the father of the deceased, George Oyakhire and her step-mother, Adetoun, who had testified that the Arowolo’s marriage was characterised by domestic violence.

    Another witness, Prof. John Obafunwa, a Consultant Pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State, also testified that Titilayo was stabbed 76 times.

    However, Arowolo, who testified before the court on May 22, blamed his in-laws for the trouble in his marriage.

    He also denied the allegation that he murdered his wife.