Husband's Murder In Ibadan: Witness says wife didn't kill him, he stabbed self

A witness in the murder case involving a lawyer in Ibadan, Yewande Oyediran, said her husband mistakenly stabbed himself during a disagreement with his wife at their apartment in Ibadan.

Yewande is standing trial in an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan for allegedly stabbing her husband, Lowo Oyediran, to death with a knife during an argument in February 2016, but the new claim by this "witness" has introduced controversy into the case.

During the continued hearing of the case, a defence witness, Mr Michael Lana, told the court that the couple’s landlord, Mr Akinpelu Adelodun, confessed to him in private that the defendant’s husband mistakenly stabbed himself to death.

Led-in evidence by the defendant’s counsel, Mr Leye Adepoju, Lana said that the landlord of the couple told him at a meeting in his (Adelodun) house that the late lawyer’s husband mistakenly stabbed himself while he was struggling with the knife with him as he tried to prevent him from stabbing his wife.

He said, “Adelodun told me that Yewande came out from the couple’s apartment screaming for help with the late husband in tow, chasing her with a knife. He also told me that at a stage, the late husband had pinned down Yewande beside his car and had raised the knife to stab her, but that he (landlord) seized his hand from behind and that the wife was able to escape, while in the process, the husband still violent, mistakenly stabbed himself in the neck.”

Lana had earlier told the court that he was a relative of the landlord and that he had called him on the telephone to narrate to him the events leading to the murder of his late tenant. He also said that the landlord told him that he (landlord) switched the murder weapon.

“He also asked me for advice on how to handle the matter, adding that he didn’t want to give evidence in court because the police might want to rope him in. I told him that he can only refuse to testify if his transport bills were not paid by the prosecutor, especially if he is a private prosecutor. Based on my advice he asked me to write, which I did to the prosecutor and defense counsel.

During cross-examination by the prosecution’s counsel, Mr Sanya Akinyele, Lana said he was in the court to prove that the landlord contacted him and that what he told the police was not the truth.

Case adjourned till May 24, 2017 by Justice Munta Abimbola for continuation of hearing.