Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF), a frontline Civil Society Organisation committed to the elimination of Sexual and Domestic Violence, has prayed the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba to expeditiously assign to a judge the case of involuntary manslaughter brought by the Lagos State Government against Mr Ikechukwu Ogbonna.
In charge number Ld/21055c/2023, the state government accused Ogbonna of involuntary manslaughter leading to the death of his wife, 35 year old Mrs Bimbo Ogbonna.
However, Ogbonna’s trial is yet to commence because the case has not been assigned to a judge by the state Chief Judge..
According to an electronic statement, MARF Executive Director, Mr Lemmy Ughegbe prayed the Chief Judge to expedite action on the case by assigning it to a judge forthwith..
Ughegbe said a speedy process would send signals to perpetrators and would-be perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence that the state government has a zero tolerance for the menace.
“It is a notorious fact that Sexual and Gender Based Violence and particularly Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are on a frightening rise in our country. It is also persuasive to hold that unless perpetrators of such acts of violence are held accountable, this ugly trend will continue to subsist”, he stated.
He suggested that it did not bode well with society that five months after Mrs Bimbo Ogbonna’s cruel death, trial of her husband for involuntary manslaughter has not commenced as the case is yet to be assigned to a judge.
He said: “Such delay inadvertently gives the erroneous impression that the Lagos State Government is not keen to get to the bottom of the matter.
“We have written to his lordship, the honourable Chief Judge of Lagos State, praying him to assign this case to a judge as a matter of urgent national importance”.
Bimbo died after sustaining 95 percent burns from a fire that engulfed the couple’s house following disagreement with her husband.
