Arowolo, suspected wife killer arraigned

The Yaba Chief Magistrate Court, in Lagos State, was  Friday, filled  beyond  capacity, as a crowd  of curious members of the public were present  to  witness  the arraignment  of a  30-year-old Akolade

Arowolo,  who was  accused of  killing his banker wife, Titilayo  Arowolo.

Father of the accused,  Mr. Arowolo, who wailed furiously as his son was taken into court in handcuffs,  by plain-cloth detectives from the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department SCID, Lagos, told reporters that he had anticipated a peaceful divorce for the couple, before the tragic incident occured.

According to him, “the marriage was no longer working between Akolade and Titilayo and I was hoping that they would seek a peaceful divorce. I really do not know what went wrong.  But on several occasions I have been forced to intervene in the couples brawl.

 I am aware  my son abuses his wife and I have always being around to dissuade the fight. But  when I learnt that Akolade  beat up Titilayo, I  decided not to intervene anymore.” he stated.

Continuing, Mr. Arowolo added that,  “I have not seen Akolade and Titilayo since January,  and I decided to stop intervening  because I was tired of settling their disputes.

So, the last time I was told that Kolade had beaten up Titilayo,  I prayed in  my heart that the couple should just get a divorce.

“It was with dismay that I received news that Akolade had killed his wife. Titilayo was such a nice lady. She used to call my wife a lot because they were quite fond of each other.”

Some months before this tragic incident, we tried calling her but unfortunately, her phone never went through. It was only later that we discovered that she had changed lines.”

Meanwhile, standing before Magistrate Mrs Demi Ajayi, of Yaba Magistarte court ,  the accused  who  was arraigned  on a one count charge of murder was  ordered  to be remanded in prisons.

The Magistrate also  referred the case to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions DPP, for legal advice, as she  adjourned  till September 9, 2011 for further hearing.

Explaining why  the suspect should be remanded  in prison custody,  Mrs. Ajayi said, “since the  case involves murder which attracts a capital punishment, the suspect  should be remanded in prison custody”.

The charge against Arowolo reads:

  “That you Arowolo Akolade, on June 24, 2011, at about 1:30pm, at Isolo Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Arowolo Omozoje ‘female’ by stabbing her with a knife thereby committed an offence punishable under section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Cap C-17, Vol. 11, laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.”