The Nation Newspaper

Tag: wife

  • ‘Wife hit hubby with frying-pan before cutting off his manhood’

    A Lagos High Court yesterday heard how a lawyer, Udeme Otike-Odibi, cut off the manhood of her husband, Symphorosa, after hitting him on the head with a frying-pan on May 3, last year.

    Testifying in the trial of Udeme for the alleged murder of Symphorosa, Olusegun Bamidele, an Assistant Superinterndent of Police (ASP), said she also stabbed the deceased in the stomach with a kitchen knife.

    “Still furious, Udeme sat beside her husband on the bed and said: ‘If this your manhood is the one that is giving you licence not to have the feeling of another person, it’s better we cut it off. Udeme then cut the manhood before putting a piece of it in his right hand,” Bamidele told Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

    Bamidele of the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos Mainland, said she recorded the defendant’s statement as  the head of the team that investigated the killing.

    The defendant, he recalled, said she and  the late Symphorosa were having marital issues.

    “She said the deceased was having extra-marital affairs and whenever she raised the issue with him, his responses were not satisfactory. He appeared nonchalant.

    “She said also in the statement that on May 2, 2018, she was preparing to travel to the United Kingdom. She checked the bedside locker for her marriage certificate. When she could not find it, she went to the deceased where he laid on the bed and asked him about it, but there was no response, the response given was not okay.

    “She had a discussion with him and there was hot exchange of words, which made her to go to the kitchen and get a frying pan and knife.

    “When she returned to where the deceased laid, she hit him on the head with the frying pan and said: ‘Tell me, what is on your mind that you are withholding.’

    “She stated that the deceased called his mother to report her conduct. She continued to hit the deceased on the head again and again. Finally, she confirmed that she used the knife to stab the deceased in his abdomen.

    “She said while the deceased was lying on his back, she was still angry. She sat beside him, looking at his intestines coming out and said: ‘If this your manhood is the one that is giving you licence not to have the feeling of another person, it’s better we cut it off,’ and she proceeded to do so with the same knife she used in stabbing him and hanged a piece of the manhood in his right hand.’”

    Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Titilayo Shitta-Bay, Bamidele said after the incident, Udeme sent her friend, Maureen Offor, a WhatsApp message which read: “I have done something terrible.”

    She sent two other WhatsApp messages, first to the husband of the deceased’s younger sister, Charles Akpoguma, which read: “Just pray for us. May God forgive.”

    The last one was to her mother in Calabar, Cross River State, the same night. It read: “Sorry mum, we engaged in a fight.”

    Her mum tried to reach her, but she couldn’t get through.

    Bamidele said a few minutes later, Udeme called back and said: “Don’t disturb my life, let my phone be free so I can receive calls from the ambulance.” Then she cut the call.

    Things took a graphic turn when the prosecution showed pictures of the defendant in hospital after the incident and her late husband on his deathbed.

    Udeme looked straight from where sat in the dock while the amplified pictures were displayed on a wall to her right.

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    Shitta-Bey also tendered through Bamidele several exhibits recovered from the defendant.

    They included a big, shiny frying pan, a blood-covered kitchen knife, a bloodstained pen, four phones, two of which were bloodstained, Udeme’s Nigerian and British passports.

    But when Shitta-Bey sought to tender the two statements Udeme made to the police, her counsel, Mr Olusegun Banjoko, opposed her.

    After showing the statements to Udeme, Banjoko, prayed the court not to admit them as they were made in her lawyer’s absence.

    Justice Akintoye adjourned till February 25 to consider the admissibility of the statements in a trial within trial.

  • Gunmen kill man, wife, son over land

    Gunmen have killed a man, his only son, wife and granddaughter over a piece of land.

    The man, identified as Edebiri and his family were shot dead at their home at Ugbogun village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.

    Two of his daughters narrowly escaped death, as they were in the room when the gunmen struck.

    Narrating what happened, the deceased’s elder brother, who gave his name as Pa Osaretin Oteh, alleged that his brother might have been killed for refusing to give his land to the Community Development Association (CDA) in the village.

    Pa Osaretin said CDA’s activities were still operational in the community despite the proscription of CDA activities in the state.

    He said his late brother refused to allow the CDA members take possession of the land.

    A daughter of the deceased, Sandra, said the gunmen pointed a gun at her head and demanded money, phones and jewellery.

    She said she heard gunshots and when she opened her eyes, she discovered that her parents and sibling had been killed.

    Sandra said her father had informed them about threat to his life, but they did not take the information seriously until the gunmen struck.

    Her sister, Princess, said the gunmen fired at all of them in the room to ensure that they were killed.

    “They killed our father, mother, brother and my niece. We want the police to find the killers.”

    Police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor could not be reached for comments.

    The bodies have been deposited at the mortuary.

  • Man, wife, baby die in ‘Xmas fire

    A man, his wife and baby have died in a Christmas Day fire at 27 Mabel Street, off Etete Road, Benin.

    Eyewitnesses said the fire started about 2 am and the family of three died before help could get to them.

    The landlord, Mr. Egberamwen Nosakhare, said he saw smoke coming from one of the tenant’s room.

    “I forced the door opened and saw flames from the gas cooker, but there was nothing I could do. I was helpless and could not go in. The family died in the fire.”

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    A tenant, Mrs. Osayande Joseph, said she ran into her room to pick up her child and ran through the back door into the bush because there was flame everywhere.

    Another tenant, Okhuoghae Osawaru, said: “The affected family was inside the house when the fire started. The man is hardworking; he just returned from outstation to celebrate Christmas with his wife and baby. He is hardworking, humble and nice. It is a pity that this happened on Christmas day.”

    Names of the victims could not be ascertained last night.

  • Ambode, wife fete 2000 children at Christmas party

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and his wife, Bolanle, yesterday urged children to continue to listen to the counsel of their parents and guardians, saying that it is by doing so that they could achieve their set goals and maximise their potential.

    They both spoke at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, during the annual Christmas party organised by the state government for children in the state.

    In his remarks, Ambode urged the children to continue to show love to their parents and families for the opportunity given to them to have a good life and prospective future.

    “They are the ones that have been able to put you all in good condition and I urge you to continue to show love to your parents and make sure that the things they teach you, you take them seriously so that you can become successful lawyers, doctors, accountants, pilots and all the good things you wish to become in life.

    “My prayer for you all is that you would all grow to be bigger and more prosperous than all of us. I want to also thank the parents for keeping this children, God would continue to reward you,” he said.

    On her part, Mrs. Ambode charged the children to be obedient, humble, respectful and to take their studies seriously at all times if they intend to have a brighter and rewarding future.

    She described children as jewels which value cannot be estimated, urging parents to bring them up in the way of God and help them realise their full potential.

    Playing host to more than 2,000 children across tribes, classes and religions, she said that children were special gifts from God given to parents to cater for, stressing that everything should be done to make them happy, productive and fulfilled.

    She said, “These little ones are the unique gift of the Almighty given to us to look after. Our duty assigned by God as guardians, is to ensure care and welfare that will make them grow up as happy children, productive and fulfilled citizens.”

    Highlights of the party include series of games and competition with several prizes, cutting of cake, while the governor and his wife took out time to dance with the children.

     

  • Charlyboy weds wife in church after 40 years

    Nigerian showbiz maestro and rights activist, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlyboy, has formally walked his American wife, Diane, down the aisle after 40 years of marriage.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the marriage produced three children.

    Charlyboy and Diane exchanged marriage  vows on Saturday evening at the Chapel of Sisters of Jesus the Redeemer Catholic Church in Gwarimpa, Abuja.

    The low-keyed wedding was officiated by the outspoken Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Bishop Mathew  Kukah, and had in attendance close friends and relatives of the couple, including the aged mother of Charlyboy.

    The Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, was also in attendance among some other clergymen.

    The couple exchanged the “I do” vows amidst cheers from the congregation.

    They thereafter signed the marriage register.

    Onaiyekan, in his exhortation, hailed the couple for staying together for over four decades.

    He, however, urged them to be committed to their marriage vows by showing mutual love, understanding and respect for each other.

    ”I specially congratulate Charles and his wife for this Godly decision, and I pray God to keep them together.”

    Charlyboy told NAN on the sidelines that he and his wife decided to wed in church to honour his aged mother who had been ‘pleading that we do the right thing’.

    He told NAN that he got married as a teenager in 1974, and secured divorced after the union produced one child.

    He noted that the Catholic Church observed a strict marital doctrine.

    ”This is not that kind of marriage with fanfare; I am doing it to please my aged mother and meet certain demands of the society.

    ”She has been pleading that we do the right thing, saying this is the woman I have been living with for 40 years.

    ”We have been following through with the process of annulment of my last marriage, and my former wife who has since remarried cooperated very well, and then in 2017, the marriage was formally annulled.

    ”My mother actually got the wife for me at the age of 19 because I was a little rascally with women as a young man; she thinks it would curb my sexual excesses,” he said.

    Charlyboy, who is 67 years, has nine children from different women, and has 16 grandchildren.

    He has, however, always regarded  Diane as the mother of all his children.

  • Uniformed men beat up man, wife, daughter in Yaba

    Uniformed men yesterday at Iwaya in Yaba, Lagos Mainland, allegedly beat up a couple and their daughter.

    The Nation learnt that the uniformed beat up Taiwo John, his wife, Omonike  and their daughter because he allegedly blocked their path.

    It was gathered that about 30 uniformed men invaded the community over land dispute. They had no name tags on their uniforms.

    The land dispute, sources said, was still in court.

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    Taiwo told The Nation that he was standing in front of his house when the incident happened.

    “I was standing in front of my house at Idowu Ogunde Street this morning (yesterday) when I saw about nine uniformed men coming. One of them said I was standing on their way and about three of them beat me up. I could not fight them because they had guns. They also beat up my wife and our 20-year-old daughter. Neighbours and the landlord association rescued us,” he said.

    He implored the government to rescue the community “because these uniformed men have been parading our area with guns for the past 10 days.”

  • Gunmen kill doctor, wife

    Gunmen have killed a doctor and his wife in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

    Dr. Mwajim Malgwi, the proprietor of Polyclinic in Jimeta, Yola, was killed alongside his wife by yet to be identified gunmen near Boggare village, Jimeta, as they were returning home from a meeting with farm workers last Saturday.

    An associate of the deceased, Ibrahim Walye, who disclosed the killings yesterday, could not give details, but a source said the gunmen, who were in a tricycle, waylaid the couple and killed them.

    Police spokesman Othman Abubakar confirmed the incident.

    He said nobody had been arrested, adding that his men were investigating the incident.

    Dr. Mwajim was the commissioner for health in the state from 1988 to 1989. He was in his 70s.

    The deceased’s family was expected to issue a statement on the incident last night.

  • Three charged with impersonating Buhari, wife

    The Force Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department of the Police (FCIID) yesterday arraigned three men at a Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged cybercrime and impersonating President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha.

    The accused are: Julius Anyawu aka Musa Mohammed, 48; Kenneth Ezeonu aka Abdul Karim, 45; and George Agu aka Dr. Lina Norman, 48.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused, who were arraigned on a 16-count bordering on cybercrime, had no legal representatives.

    They pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecutor Mr. Benson Asogwa urged the court to remand the accused in prison and fix a date for trial.

    Justice Babs Kiewumi adjourned the case till January 18 for trial.

    The court ordered that the accused be remanded in prison pending trial.

    In the charge, the prosecution alleged that the accused conspired with others at large to commit the offences on August 8 at 10, Hassan Idowu Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos.

    They were said to have been arrested by CP Dan Okoro, head of Anti-Fraud Unit in Alagbon, Lagos.

    The accused were said to have forged electronic messages to Engr. Gmenezes, with the tag “Attention: Geraldo Francisco Menezes”, purporting same to be sent by his Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, and Mrs. Aisha Buhari.

    The message was said to be labelled: IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF NOTIFICATION of 20.5 million dollars (equivalent of N7.4 billion).

    They were also alleged to have sent electronic messages to one Madaule, with the tag “Attention: Dr Guenter Schauer”, purporting same to be sent by President Buhari and the First Lady.

    They were said to have requested for a special arrangement to send them funds by direct cash payment through ECOWAS headquarters in Cotonou.

    The accused were also alleged to have sent false electronic messages to the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, purporting same to be sent by their Excellencies, for immediate payment notification of 20.5 million dollars.

    The offences contravene sections 14(1), 14(2), 14(3) and 22 of the Cybercrime Prohibition Act, 2015.

  • Wife kills self, hubby, three kids in Makurdi

    WHY will a woman kill her husband, their three children and herself? These are the questions the police in Benue State are trying to proffer answers to after Mrs. Rochelle Adetsav unexpectedly ended her husband’s life, their children’s and her own.

    “The man, Mr. Nicholas Adetsav, a staff of Makurdi Local Government Council, and his children, were killed on Friday night in Makurdi. His wife, who we believe is responsible for the death of the quartet, also killed herself,” spokesman for the state police command, Moses Yamu said.

    “From information available to us, the woman had been having issues with her husband which might have culminated into this,” Yamu said.

    The children’s names were given as Nguavese (F) (6), Evelyn (F) (4) and Joshua (M) (2).

    The couple, who lived on Vandeikya Street, were both staff of Makurdi Local Government Council.

    “They had been having issues. Just yesterday (Friday), the woman was seen with a pestle trying to smash her husband’s car. No one knows the cause of their frequent fights,” he said.

    He said that Police personnel sent to the house found the man foaming in the mouth, the three kids already dead, while the woman, also dead, was found holding a knife in her hands.

    “The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. on Friday.

    “From what we have gathered, the couple fought on a daily basis,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Yamu said that investigation had begun to determine the reasons for the actions, while the corpses have been deposited at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Hospital, Makurdi.

    A neighbour of the late couple, James Omale, told The Nation that about 8:30pm, the woman smashed the windscreen of her husband’s  car with a pestle.

    “After that, she rushed back into the house where she hit her husband Adetsav with the pestle at the back of the neck and thereafter slaughtered her three children and stabbed herself to death,” he said.

    Omale said neighbours called the DPO of B. Division who responded quickly with his men forcing the door of the couple’s apartment open only do find the five of them in a pool of blood dead.

    The Police spokesman Moses Yamu also said that the Police found the man foaming in the mouth, the three kids already dead, while the woman, also dead, was found holding a knife in her hands.

    The Chairman, Makurdi Local Government Council, Mrs. Akange Audu, confirmed that the couple were employees of the local government council.

    “The husband worked in the Department of Finance while his wife worked with the Department of Agriculture,” she said.

    She also confirmed that the couple “were always fighting”, adding that the woman had warned neighbours to stay off their fights.

    One of the neighbours says she stopped intervening on their quarrels when Mrs. Adetsav threatened her with a knife during one of such interventions.

    A cross section of the neighbours, who spoke to NAN, said that the couple had been having issues.

    They said that the couple had been fighting since Friday afternoon, but no one appeared sure of the cause of their fights.

    One of the neighbours told NAN that she stopped intervening on their quarrels when Mrs. Adetsav threatened her with a knife during one of such interventions.

  • I didn’t kill my wife, Shonde tells court

    Lekan Shonde, a dock worker accused of killing his banker wife, Ronke, at their Egbeda, Lagos, home, yesterday, told an Ikeja High Court he did not kill her.

    He made the denial under cross examination by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Y.G. Oshoala, before Justice Josephine Oyefeso.

    Shonde said: “I did not kill her. I didn’t have any reason to kill her because we had resolved the matter that night.”

    He opened and closed his defence yesterday. He was led in defence by his counsel, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN). He was a lone defence witness.

    Oshoala told the defendant his usual habit was to carry the deceased and hit her against the wall, adding that he had displayed an intention to deal ruthlessly with the deceased.

    He said: “I put it to you that she was going to divorce you and that was why you beat her up.”

    But Shonde denied the claims, saying: “Adunni (the name he fondly called the deceased) never said such thing to me.”

    He said he did not go to his in-laws’ home until after “two or three days” after the incident because his father and some people told him if he did, they would not spare him.

    The defendant said instead, he surrendered himself to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) after he was declared wanted.

    Answering a question by the prosecution, he denied taking his wife’s phone.

    Asked to read a portion of the statement he gave the police, marked exhibit P1A, Shonde claimed to have a poor vision and that he had no eye glasses.

    Still under cross examination by the prosecution, he said he was surprised that the autopsy report showed evidence of haemorrhage; that the deceased’s brain was “heavy, swollen and filled with water and other signs of violent attack, particularly around the neck.”

    Opening his defence, the defendant had accused his wife of having extra-marital affair.

    Earlier, while being led in defence by his counsel, Chief Clarke, he said his wife called him that fateful day and told him to buy moin-moin and eko on his way from work, which they would eat that night (May 6, 2016).

    “When I got home, I headed for the sitting room and heard Adunni speaking on the phone, talking to one Kayode. She said: ‘Kayode, you are sweet. What did you use in sleeping with me?’

    “I slapped her from behind, I was at her back. She surged forward, fell and hit her head on the ground. Later, she stood up and held me. She said she was sorry,” Shonde told the court.

    He said his wife later went inside to change and had her bath. He said she came out to serve their dinner.

    Shonde said he took the moin-moin with gari, while she took hers with eko.

    He said because there was no electricity, his wife went downstairs to play with their neighbours, while he went to bed.

    “Later, I came out and saw her lying on the couch. I said ‘Adunni, why are you lying there’ and she said she would join me later.

    “In the morning, when I was going out, she was still lying there. So, I dropped money for her for fuel. We have two keys. I used my own to lock the door and went to my work place”, the defendant told the court.

    He said one of his cousins came to his work place and informed him that his father wanted to see him, adding that he got to know what happened when he arrived their family home at Ladipo.

    Shonde told the court that when he slapped his wife from the back, their two children did not witness it, as they were sleeping.

    Justice Oyefeso adjourned the matter till November 30 for adoption of written addresses by the counsel.