Slain Banker Had Only 3 Wounds — Defence Witness

A defence witness, Mudashiru Arowolo, has told a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, that he saw only three wounds on the body of Titilayo Omozoje Arowolo who was allegedly killed by her husband, Akolade.

The testimony of the witness who is the father of the defendant, was contrary  to the claim of Professor John Obafunwa, Chief Pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital who testified that the deceased had 76 stab wounds on her body.
Akolade Arowolo is standing trial before Justice Lateefah Okunnu for allegedly murdering his banker wife in their flat at Isolo on June 24, 2011.

The senior Arowolo said while being cross examined by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, that he was shocked  to read in the newspaper that the deceased had 76 stab wounds on her body.

When told that different prosecution witnesses had said they saw many wounds on the body of the dead banker, the defendant’s father maintained that he only saw three wounds on the left part of her chest.

The senior Arowolo had testified earlier  that Arowolo had wounds on his palm which was a confirmation that he was trying to wrest a knife from his wife. He said he discovered some 20 wounds on the body of his son.

While giving his evidence-in-chief,  the witness said he knew that the couple had been having quarrels but that Akolade was never violent.

“My son complained that the marriage was characterised by undue interference from our in-laws, both the father-in-law, Mr. George Oyakhire and the stepmother-in-law, Adetoun Oyakhire.”

“Immediately after the marriage, the couple started buying baby things because Omozoje was pregnant before they got married. My son told us that Omozoje requested N500, 000 and he said he could only afford N100,000. That was one quarrel. Immediately, Omozoje left for her parents’ house.