Lekan Shonde to die by hanging for murdering his wife

Justice Josephine Oyefeso of an Ikeja High court, Lagos on Friday sentenced to death by hanging, a 51-year-old dock worker, Lekan Shonde for murdering his wife Ronke.

Tribune Online recalls that Shonde on May 6, 2016, murdered his wife, Ronke the mother of two children in their Egbeda residence.

He thereafter locked the lifeless body of his wife in their apartment and absconded.

He was however apprehended five days later when he turned himself in.

Shonde was subsequently charged to court for a one-count charge of murder. His trial began on 20th September and ended in October 2018.

The judgment was handed down on March 8, 2019, a day set aside as International Women’s’ day

In the two and a half long judgement, the trial judge pronounced, “this is the sentence of the court upon you that you should be hanged on the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy upon you.”

The judge went on further to explain that this penalty was due the convict based on Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

At his judgement on Friday, the judge said she was satisfied that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt in the light of overwhelming evidence against him.

“The violence used by the defendant was in excess of a reasonable man,” the Judge ruled.

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The judge noted that the defendant was very economical with the truth, stating that his evidence before the court that he only slapped her when he overheard his wife on a phone call praising the sexual prowess of a lover does not match the degree of the autopsy report.

The judge reiterated the analyses of the pathologist, Dr Shokunle Shoyemi that his examination revealed old and fresh injuries on the deceased.

She held that bruises on the deceased cheek, blood collection in the brain, brain swelling and other multiple injuries could not have been caused by self-inflicted injuries.

Justice Oyefeso was convinced that the prosecution also proved among the ingredients of murder that death of the deceased occurred and the convict was the last person who had physical contact with her.

Pleading on his behalf, I. A Mohammed, said, “My Lord, we want to plead with the court while administering justice, dispensing same in this case to see reason in thus alocutus, to temper justice with mercy.

“There are two children produced by the marriage. I know, as a matter of fact, these two children have passed through a worse moment of their life, agonies that are immeasurable.

“I know if these two children have any control in this proceeding, it will be that their father should not be prosecuted. The defendant has no criminal record, he has developed a series of failing health since his detention.

“This defendant hardly sees very well again, he sees faintly. My Lord, he is hypertensive as he stands there and the authority of the prison can confirm it.”