Bariga Housemaid Murder Controversy; Couple File File No-Case Submission
The Nwankwo family accused of the murder of their housemaid, Ms Joy Adole, has told an Ikeja High Court that they have no case to answer.
Fortune and Stephen Nwankwo, are facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, involuntary manslaughter and accessory after the fact to murder.
The couple were accused of killing 19-year-old Adole on April 20, 2020, at their residence located at No. 18, Ogundola St., Bariga, Lagos.
They however, denied the allegation, claiming that Adole committed suicide by hanging herself in her bedroom.
At the resumption of trial, Fortune and Stephen, who were to open defence, filed a no-case submission through their counsel, Mr O. I Barrah.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor, Mrs Abike Oluwasanmi, said that prosecution needed time to respond to the no-case submission.
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At the last proceedings on July 30, a pathologist, Dr Sunday Soyemi, who testified on behalf of the prosecution, said that the cause of Adole’s death could not be ascertained because her corpse was embalmed.
He said “The housemaid’s corpse had been embalmed at a morgue at Yaba, Lagos, before it was brought by authorities to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for an autopsy.
The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) of the case, Mr Ajibola Oderinde, told the court during the July 30 proceedings that authorities believed that Adole was killed because her body was found under suspicious circumstances.
The IPO said that investigations revealed that Fortune assaulted Adole on April 19, 2020, and that her body was discovered by Stephen on April 20, 2020.
The case has been adjourned till November 3, for the hearing of the application.
