An Igbosere High Court in Lagos on Wednesday remanded in prison custody a Togolese cook, Sunday Adefonou Anani, charged with the murder of the Chief Executive Officer of Credit Switch Limited, Chief Opeyemi Bademosi.
Justice Mobolanle Okikiolu-Ighile made the order following Anani’s arraignment by the Lagos State Government on a two-count charge of murder and armed robbery.
Before the charge was read, his counsel, the Director of the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) Adenrera Adeyemi, informed the court that Anani did not understand the English language.
Adeyemi, who appeared in court with J.I. Osagiede I.O. Bashua and Eniola Disu, applied for the services of a French-English language interpreter.
Justice Okikiolu-Ighile upheld her application and directed that one be provided.
The charge, prepared by the prosecutor, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Titilayo Shitta-Bey, was then read and interpreted to Anani.
It alleged that Anani, 22, committed the offences last October 31, at Bademosi’s Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos residence.
He allegedly stabbed Bademosi, 67, to death with a knife and stole his valuables, including the deceased’s phone.
According to Shitta-Bey, the offences contravened Sections 223 and 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Anani pleaded not guilty, following which the judge remanded him in prison custody.
The DPP also informed the court that the prosecution had 17 witnesses in the case.
Adeyemi then applied that the court should direct the prosecution to provide the defence with complete proof of evidence, to enable the defence prepare its case.
The court upheld her application and adjourned till May 21, for trial.
Last November 11, the Lagos State Police Command, published the result of its investigation of the case.
Its spokesman, Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent, said: “On October 31, three days after assuming duty, the suspect, with the intention to rob the deceased, made his way to his boss’ bedroom through the kitchen to the lobby and then to the room, which was the scene of the crime, when he observed that the woman of the house, Mrs. Ebunola Bademosi, had left home for a transaction in a neighbourhood bank.
“According to the suspect, when he got to Bademosi’s room and met him on the bed, he said, ‘Chief, I am not here to kill you.’
“Bademosi asked him, ‘What do you want?’ and he replied ‘money.’
“Bademosi said he had no money in the house. At this point, the suspect said he tied him up with a cloth and put him on the floor.
“He went further to say that Bademosi, while still on the floor, kicked him, causing the knife he tucked inside his pants to fall off.
“He added that Bademosi crawled to pick the knife, but he (the suspect) was faster, and that, as he struggled with him, the knife accidentally pierced Bademosi.
“He said that while exiting the room, Bademosi took the knife to stab him, so he kicked him and he fell down.
“He then took the knife and stabbed him twice on the chest, which added to three knife stabs.
“When he was done killing the man, he entered his bathroom and threw away his apron already stained with blood and the kitchen knife used as murder weapon.
“He, thereafter, heard a knock on the kitchen door, and, sensing it must be the deceased’s wife, he ran out of the room and exited from the sitting room door.
“He was confronted by the guard at the gate, one Nura Mamudu, who asked him where he was hurrying to and he replied that ‘madam sent me on an errand.’
“Finding himself in the street, he came across men loading cement into a truck. He assisted them and they rewarded him with a lift to Ondo State and N500 given to him by the truck driver in appreciation.”