January 31, (THEWILL) – A Lagos Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, ordered the remand of popular auto dealer, Ikechukwu Daryl Ogbonna, aka IVD, over the death of his wife, Abimbola Martins-Ogbonna.
Magistrate Adebayo Kafayat Tella made the order following advice by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Lagos State, which indicted Ogbonna for involuntary manslaughter.
Reading out the DPP Advice, Tella said the Defendant should be arraigned before the Lagos High Court. She, therefore, remanded Ogbonna in custody pending the filing of information against him and his arraignment.
Defence counsel, Abubakar Yesufu, however, prayed the court to release the defendant based on earlier bail conditions granted him. But Tella held that she lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a case of involuntary manslaughter, hence all bail applications should be presented before the high court.
She then adjourned the case till March 7, 2023.
37-year-old IVD and Abimbola had been married for 16 years with the union blessed with five children. The marriage, however, was fraught with disagreement and alleged domestic violence.
At the climax of their clash, the couple separated and were said to have reunited.
However, on Saturday, October 15, 2022, there was a fire incident at their Lekki home as Abimbola was caught in the inferno.
She was rushed to a hospital where she died as a result of the injuries she sustained.
But, the deceased’s family, while demanding justice, accused the police of cover-up and intimidation, and attempted to force the family into an out-of-court settlement with Ogbonna and also drop charges against him.
The family also alleged that the police had changed Ogbonna’s charges from ‘manslaughter’ to ‘negligence’ to make it easily bailable.
The family’s lawyer, Odiana Eriata, who was in court, said that the issue of domestic violence ought to have been properly investigated and an appropriate charge preferred against the culprit.
