Lawyer accused of hacking husband remanded in prison

A Yaba chief magistrates’ court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the remand a lawyer for allegedly hacking her husband to death. The accused, Udeme Odibi, 48, who was arraigned on a charge of murder, was remanded in Kirikiri prison.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that her plea was not taken by the court.

CSP Effiong Asuquo, the officer in charge of Legal Department of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department Panti (SCIID), told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 3 at Diamond Estate, Sangotedo, Lekki.

Asuquo alleged that the accused stabbed her husband, Otike, with a knife, spilling his intestines before proceeding to cut off his genitals.

He also said that the accused tried to commit suicide by inflicting injuries on herself but she was rescued and rushed to hospital. He prayed the court to remand the accused in prison for the next 30 days.

He said the case file had been sent to the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

Counsel to the accused, Oluseye Bamijoko, however, asked the court to remand the accused at the Ikoyi Prisons instead of Kirikiri prisons to allow neurologists and endocrinologists attend to her thyroid disease. Bamijoko told the court that the accused is currently undergoing psychiatric evaluation.

The chief magistrate, Mrs Kikelomo Ayeye, rejected the request of the defence counsel and ordered the remand of the accused in Kirikiri prison.

The chief magistrate also said that the burial of the deceased, which was scheduled to hold on Thursday, be put on hold.