Justice Josephine Oyefeso of an Ikeja High court, Lagos yesterday sentenced a 51-year-old depot worker in Apapa, Lekan Shonde, to death by hanging for killing his wife Ronke.
Shonde reportedly murdered his wife on May 6, 2016 at their Egbeda residence and locked her lifeless body inside alongside their two children, before they were discovered few hours later by their housekeeper.
After committing the offence, he absconded but was apprehended five days later, when he turned himself in.
Shonde, who had consistently denied killing his wife, while stating he only slapped her for cheating on him, was found guilty and convicted for murder.
While pronouncing judgement, Justice Oyefeso said that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt in the light of overwhelming evidences against the defendant.
“The violence used by the defendant was in excess of a reasonable man.
“The defendant was very economical with the truth: his evidence before the court that he only slapped his wife when he eavesdrops on a telephone conversation of her praising the sexual prowess of a lover, does not match the degree of the autopsy report.
“The analyses of the pathologist, Dr. Shokunle Shoyemi, in his evidence, said that the examinations carried out revealed old and fresh injuries on the deceased.
“Dr Shoyemi held that bruises on the deceased cheek, blood clot in the brain, brain swelling and other multiple injuries could not have been caused by a self-inflicted injury.
“The court is hereby convinced that the prosecution has done its due diligence in proving its cases against the defendant. The prosecution has proved among other ingredients, that the death of the deceased occurred and that the convict was the last person who had physical contact with her.
“Upon these evidence, the sentence of this court upon you is that you should be hanged on the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy upon you,” the judge ruled.
Meanwhile, earlier before the sentencing, the defence counsel, I. A Mohammed pleaded on behalf of the convict.
Mohammed said, “My Lord, we want to plead with the court while administering justice, dispensing same in this case to see reason in thus alocutus, to temper justice with mercy.
“There are two children produced by the marriage. I know as a matter of fact, these two children have passed through a worse moment of their lives. The agony that is immeasurable.
“I know if these two children have any control in this proceeding, it will be that their father should not be prosecuted.
“The defendant has no criminal record, he has developed series of failing health since his detention.
“This defendant hardly sees very well again, he sees faintly. My Lord, he is hypertensive as he stands there and the prison authorities can arrest to it,” he said.
