A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has ordered a couple, Fortune and Stephen Nwankwo to open their defense over the death of their housemaid, Ms Joy Adole.
Delivering ruling, Justice Oyindamola Ogala, noted that the couple Nwankwo’s have a case to answer over the death of their housemaid, Ms Joy Adole.
Addressing the court during the last proceedings, the Nwankwo’s counsel, Prof Paul Ananaba, SAN, had told the court that the Directorate of Public Prosecution’s, DPP has been unable to establish a case of murder against the couple.
He accused the state of presenting hearsay evidence in their case against the couple and had urged the court to uphold the no-case submission.
In a counter reaction, the state prosecutor Mr Yusuf Sule raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the death of Adole in the home of her employers.
The state counsel argued that the circumstantial evidence presented to the court by the prosecution would prove that the defendants killed the deceased.
The Nwankwos are facing a four count charge of conspiracy, involuntary manslaughter and accessory after the fact to murder.
They are accused of killing 19-year-old Adole on April 20, 2020 at their residence located at No. 18, Ogundola Street, Bariga.
The couple deny the manslaughter of Adole, claiming that she committed suicide by hanging herself in her bedroom.
DPP however dispute the claim and alleged that the position in which the hung corpse was found does not depict a suicide.
The case was adjourned until Jan. 17 and 31 2022 for defence.
The judge told the Nwankwo’s to open their defence while giving a ruling on the no-case submission they had filed before the court after the prosecution had closed its case against them.
