By Ifeanyi Okolie

The Yaba Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos State was, Friday, filled  to capacity, as curious members of the public witnessed  the arraignment  of   30-year-old Akolade Arowolo,  who was  accused of  killing his banker wife, Titilayo  Arowolo.

The father of the accused,  Mr. Arowolo, who wailed uncontrollably  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 between the couple, before the tragic incident.

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 their brawl.”

” I am aware  my son abuses his wife and I have always been 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.”

Arowolo...

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, the accused was arraigned before Magistrate Demi Ajayi, on a one-count charge of murder, who ordered  him to be remanded in prison custody.

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

Mrs. Ajayi said explained that  “since the  murder attracts  capital  punishment, the suspect has to 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.”