Lawyer Who Stabbed, Mutilated Husband’s Corpse Remanded
Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, on Monday remanded a 48 year old lawyer, Udeme Otike-Odibi in prisons for allegedly killing her husband, Symphorosa (Sym) Otike-Odibi in the lekki area of the state.
The accused person was docked before the court by the Lagos State Government on a two count charge of on murder and Misconduct with regard to a corpse.
She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecuting counsel, Babatunde Sunmonu, informed the judge that the accused persons allegedly murdered her 50 year old husband at their residence, on May 3, 2018, at their resident.
The lawyer also claimed that the defendant allegedly threatened her husband with a knife and eventually stabbed him to death and went further to mutilate his body, by cutting off his private part.
According to Sunmonu, the offence of murder is contrary to Section 223 and punishable by death, while Misconduct with regard to a Corpse contrary to Section 165(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 punishable with 5years imprisonment.
After the plea of the accused person was taken, Justice Akintoye adjourned the case till October 8, 9, for hearing.
The defendant on was first remanded at the Kirikiri prisons by Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye of a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court on May 9.
She adjourned the case till June 25, pending when the legal advice would be out.
Magistrate Ayeye, had remanded the defendant after Mr Effiong Asuquo, Chief Superintendent of Police at Panti Yaba brought a remand warrant before the court.
The defendant’s lawyer Oluseye Bamijoko had asked Magistrate Ayeye to remand the defendant at Ikoyi prison as she had a disease, and the specialist that attends to her is within Ikoyi axis.
However the duplicate Police case file forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions DPP, came out on May 21.
In the legal advice the DPP said based on the facts disclosed in the duplicate case file forwarded to this Office, Legal Advice was issued on the 21st of May, 2018 and information papers filed at the High Court of Lagos, Lagos Division.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions issued legal advice stating that the available facts established a prima facie case of Murder contrary to section 223 punishable by death and Misconduct with regard to a Corpse contrary to Section 165(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 punishable with five years imprisonment against the suspect Udeme Otike Odibi
“Facts available in file reveal that the suspect, subsequent to her stabbing her husband, mutilated his corpse by cutting his genitals.
‘’The Suspect is therefore to stand trial before the High Court of Lagos State for the murder of her husband and mutilation of his corpse.”