Woman breaks down as court acquits her of killing her lover

A 26-year-old woman accused of killing her lover, broke down in tears yesterday as an FCT High Court in Maitama ruled that she acted in self-defence.

Sarah Timothy Ogar was accused of culpable homicide in that she killed her lover, Friday Shehu, by stabbing him in the chest during a fight on April 12, 2013, in Girishi village, Abuja.

She had stated in her oral testimony before the court that her relationship with the deceased which had lasted for four years had been a frosty and violent one. But that the deceased threatened that if she refused to marry him, he would kill her and kill himself.

Sarah, who was 21 at the time the incident happened, said she started packing her things to leave the house and the deceased started beating her, adding that the deceased took up a knife, a cutlass and screwdriver threatening to kill her.

She said it was at that point that she took a knife to scare him but that in the process the knife cut him on the left side of his chest. She added that when the deceased fell on the floor clutching his chest, she thought he was joking and she told him she was ready to marry him.

Sarah insisted that the deceased died due to the delay by the police in taking him to the hospital after they arrived at the scene despite her plea. She said the police left him at the police station for over an hour before they came to tell her that he had died.

However, the police insisted that the deceased was confirmed dead at the hospital and that Sarah was responsible for his death. The investigating police officer had also told the court that the concerned Divisional Police Officer had to disguise Sarah as a policewoman to take her out of the police station after a mob came to the station and wanted to kill her.

Delivering judgement yesterday, Justice Jude Okeke held that the prosecution was unable to prove the case of culpable homicide against Sarah beyond reasonable doubt, adding that the police evidence on the cause of the death was not admissible, but that only the defendant’s evidence was admissible, being an eyewitness evidence.

The judge held that there was a doubt on whether it was the knife that caused the death of the deceased or the delay by the police as alleged by the defendant. He added that where there was doubt, such must be resolved in favour of the defendant.

“It is evident to the court that the defendant did not bring about the incident. Court holds that her plea for self-defence holds and that she cannot be held guilty of the offence charged. The defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted,” the judge ruled.

Immediately after the judgment, Sarah ran out of the court crying and singing. On getting outside the court, she rolled on the ground.