For allegedly killing her husband, an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Friday remanded a woman, Oyinyechi Akunne, in prison over the death of her husband.
The accused, 29, who resides at No. 58, Idimu Road, Ejigbo, a Lagos suburb, is being tried for murder.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Cousin Adams, told the court that the offence was committed on March 28 at 11.00 p.m. at her apartment.
The couple had a heated argument and Onyinyechi picked a kitchen knife and stabbed her husband to death’’.
Adams said the offence contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The Magistrate, Mr Nurudeen Layeni, said the accused should be kept behind bars at Ikoyi Prisons pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The case has been adjourned till May 25. In an interview she granted the press after the death of her husband, Onyinyechi said: “Her words: “That day we were outside but later on” I started feeling very hungry and decided to go inside to cook soup, because the previous day, I bought okro. After a while, he came into the room and just sat beside me. I saw that he was sweating profusely and when I asked what was wrong with him, he didn’t answer me. I was disturbed about his mood and the look on his face. When I moved closer, I saw that he was holding the chart for Baba Ijebu ( a popular lotto game).
“Instantly, I knew he had just lost a game again. Immediately, I told him that I didn’t like the way he was wasting money, playing Baba Ijebu. Before I could finish my comment, he slapped me. At first, I kept quiet and merely asked why he always quarreled with me over every minor issue.
“It was as if what I said infuriated him the more. He pounced on me and started beating me. He pushed me against the fan, threw the crayfish at me and hit my body against the wall. Still, I did not do anything because I never knew what would happen. He went ahead to hold me firmly by the neck that I couldn’t breathe very well again. He took the knife I was using to cut okro and was going to stab me . So, I held his hand and applied pressure on it. You see, he had an injury on his right hand and had been ‘managing’ his left hand. The very moment he took the knife, my mind told me he was going to kill me immediately.
“While trying to defend myself from being stabbed, I held him firmly and accidentally the knife went into his chest and I saw blood gushing out. Immediately, I said to him, “See, there is blood, there is blood” and he replied, “Yes, that is what I want, that is what I want.” When I realized that the blood was gushing out so much from his chest, I ran out to raise the alarm and call neighbours.”
When asked if her late husband was probably under the influence of alcohol that day, Onyinyechi said: “The thing happened so suddenly and fast too, and I couldn’t even tell whether he was drunk or not, although he drinks. He often takes beer or Macdowell.”