2 men beat my brother to death —Witness

A prosecution witness, Chioma Okon, on Tuesday told an Igbosere High Court in Lagos how two of her brother’s friends, Dare Ogunrotimi and Kola Ali, beat his brother, Promise Okon, to death.

At the resumed hearing of the case, the witness who was the first prosecution witness told the court that the duo went inside her brother’s house and beat him to a pulp.

“My brother was rushed to the hospital and at the hospital, he was only vomiting black watery substance.

“My brother was discharged from the hospital on Feb. 13, 2016, but on Feb. 14, 2016, he died due to the excessive beating gave to him by the defendants,’’ Okon said.

However, during cross-examination, Counsel to the defendants, Mr Melvin Obadah, asked the witness if she was present when the offence was allegedly committed, but she said it was her brother’s neighbour that narrated the whole incident to her.

She also said that her brother looked well on the day he was discharged but added that she had no say in the discharge of her brother from the hospital.

Ogunrotimi and Ali, whose address was not given, are standing trial on a charge of manslaughter preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the duo was first arraigned on June 5 and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Lagos State Prosecutor, Mr Sunmonu Babatunde, had during arraignment told the court that the defendants committed the offence on Feb. 10, 2016, at 6.00p.m at Anthony Ezemoke Street, Oke-Ira, Ajah, Lagos.

He alleged that the defendants unlawfully killed Promise Okon by kicking him on his stomach.

The offence contravened Section 229 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (Revised).

The defendants denied the charge and were remanded in custody.

After listening to the evidence, Justice Adedayo Akintoye adjourned the case until Oct. 30 for the continuation of trial.