JOBNR-Murder of banker-wife: Court to give judgement

An Ikeja High Court, yesterday, reserved judgement in the trial of Akolade Arowolo, who allegedly knifed his wife, Titilayo, a banker, to death sometime in 2011.

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

Okunnu stated this after both parties re-adopted their final written addresses.
Arowolo, 31, was arraigned on December 21, 2011, on a charge of killing of his wife by stabbing her several times, but he 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, No. 8, Akindeinde St., 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 us to the fact that the deceased was killed 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 the accused “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, Professor 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.

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

According to him, the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were filled with contradictions.
He said: “It is only being suspected that the accused was responsible for the death of the deceased.”

“No sufficient facts have been led to prove this suspicion.”