A Lagos based man, Akinwale Akinlabi, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by Justice Oyindamola Ogala of an Ikeja High Court for killing his wife, Tope.
Akinwale was charged for manslaughter by the Lagos State government after he pushed his wife during an argument over the volume of a radio leading to a fight and she hit her head on the edge of a table in the process which led to her death.
The incident happened on February 2, 2020, at their residence at Ijaiye Ojokoro,Lagos. The convict was arrested and was in police custody until his conviction.
During the trial, Akinwale had pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and inflicting bodily injury on the deceased.
However, in her judgment delivered on Monday, November 25, 2024, Justice Ogala, said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable and that Akinwale committed the offence by providing sufficient proof that he committed the offence of manslaughter.
The Court noted that the push by Akinwale resulted in the death of his wife adding that his act was unlawful and therefore was guilty of manslaughter.
Justice Ogala said evidence presented by the prosecution indicated that the violent act of the convict caused the death of his wife. It, however,noted that the convict did not intentionally killed the deceased.
“The vertical scars on the back of the deceased as stated in exhibit (f), corroborates the evidence of the prosecution witnesses,” she said.
“Prosecution has indeed established the ingredients of the offence of manslaughter, the defendant is therefore accordingly convicted of the same.
“Having heard and considered the plea of the defence counsel, and also taking into consideration the peculiarity of this case, the defendant is accordingly sentenced to a term of 12 years imprisonment.
“The sentencing shall begin from the period of his incarceration, February 3, 2020,” Ogala held.
