Lekan Shonde today told an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court that he was innocent of his wife Ronke’s death.
Dockworker Shonde was docked by the police before Chief Magistrate O. A. Adelaja following Ronke’s death at their Egbeda, Lagos home on May 5.
In a temporary charge with number D/30/2016, the suspect, who was brought around 11:30 am sporting a cream coloured combat shorts, was accused of beating his wife to death with his fist.
The charge reads: “That you Shonde Olalekan, on May 5, 2016, at about 2030 hours at No. 3, Tiemo Street, Egbeda, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did kill one Ronke Shonde, ‘F’ age 37, by giving her fist blow on her head, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
When he was asked if he understood the charge, Shonde asked for the last paragraph to be re-read, after which he replied, “I didn’t kill her.”
Prosecuting counsel Inspector Chinalu Uwadione applied that the suspect be remanded in prison custody “to enable us send the case to the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.”
This was not opposed by defence counsel Mr. I. V. Mohammed, and Chief Magistrate Adelaja upheld Uwadione’s prayer.
“The offence is a capital offence and the defendant is to be remanded in prison custody pursuant to Section 264 (1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law ((ACJL) 2011.
“The prosecutor should forward the case file to the DPP’s advice. The case is adjourned till June 24, 2016,” the court held.
After his wife death, Shonde was alleged to have locked their two kids with the body in the house and fled.
On Wednesday, autopsy conducted on Mrs. Shonde at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, stated that Ronke died of “respiratory seizure.”
On Thursday, the deceased’s family refused to comment on the autopsy, but revealed that a burial date had not been set.
“Please, I do not want to comment on anything. We do not want to talk about it. We have not fixed burial date yet. Please, respect my decision. I am not going to talk,” a family representative said
