Court orders remand of auto-dealer over wife’s death

A Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ebute Metta has ordered the remand of Ikechukwu Daryl Ogbonna, over the death of his wife, Abimbola Martins-Ogbonna.

Magistrate Adebayo Kafayat Tella ordered Ogbonna remanded in a Correctional facility following the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Lagos State, which says that Ogbonna should be charged for involuntary manslaughter.

Magistrate Tella said the defendant will be arraigned before the Lagos high court, and should be remanded in custody pending his arraignment, and filing of information against him.

However, counsel to defendant, Mr. Abubakar Yesufu, prayed the court to allow the defendant to be released based on earlier bail conditions granted him, but his application was refused.

The Magistrate held that she lacks jurisdiction to entertain a case of involuntary manslaughter, hence all bail applications should be presented before the high court while she adjourned the case to March 7, 2023.

The Lagos State Police Command arrested Ogbonna over the death of his wife, Abimbola, in the Lekki area of the state.
The two have been married for 16 years with five children. However, the marriage was fraught with disagreement and reports of domestic violence.
At the climax of their clash, the couple separated and were said to have reunited.

However, on October 15, 2022 there was a fire incident at their Lekki mansion, as Abimbola was caught in the inferno. She was rushed to a hospital, where she died as a result of injuries she sustained.

The deceased’s family, has however demanded for justice, accusing the police of cover-up, intimidation and attempts to force the family into an out-of-court settlement with Ogbonna and to also drop charges against him.

The family also alleged that the police had changed Ogbonna’s charges from ‘manslaughter’ to ‘negligence’ so as to make it easily available.

Guardian Online