A frontline Civil Society Organisation committed to fighting sexual and gender-based violence, Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF) has commended the Lagos State Government for acceding to its request to review the charges brought against Mr Ikechukwu Ogbonna over his role in events leading to the death of his wife, Mrs Bimbo Ogbonna.
Initially, the Police in Lagos charged Ogbonna for negligence in failing to offer prompt care to his wife who suffered 95 percent fire burn. But following video evidence produced by Ogbonna, which showed that, while Bimbo was trapped inside the couple’s residence by fire, her husband was seen video recording the burning house from outside the premises, rather than call for rescue.
MARF and Amnesty International immediately raised alarm over Ogbonna’s suspected complicity in the death of his wife.
Bimbo had documented series of domestic violence complaints against her husband at the Police and Lagos State Domestic Violence Response Agency during a relationship that was described by many observers as toxic.
At a press conference last December, MARF Executive Director, Lemmy Ughegbe exhibited persuasive and compelling evidence sufficient for Lagos State to re-arrest and file fresh charges against Ogbonna, while Amnesty International and Bimbo’s family, through their counsel, Barrister Odiana Eriata wrote the state Police command, demanding a review of the charge of negligence, which they said fell short of the expectations of the law.
In response, the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins called for the case file from the Police, reviewed the evidence against Ogbonna and upgraded the charge from negligence to manslaughter punishable under Section 229 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State with life imprisonment.
Ughegbe commended the Lagos State Government for being responsive and responsible in looking into their concern and taking the right action to ensure that Ogbonna is properly charged.
He said: “The Police had almost bungled this case with a-slap-on-the-wrist charge of negligence against Mr Ikechukwu Ogbonna even when evidence pointed to a need for a more sever charge. We cried out, drawing the attention of Lagos State Government to this infraction.
“We are glad that upon our organisation’s intervention and efforts of our partners at Amnesty International, the Lagos State Government, through the DPP, called for the file, reviewed the evidence and slammed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against Mr Ogbonna.”
On Friday when the matter came up before Magistrate Court 7 in the Yaba Magisterial District, presided over by Mrs Adebayo Kafayat Tella, she refused Ogbonna’s bail plea and ordered that he be remanded in prison until 7 March to enable the DPP file the charge at the right court.
A day earlier, Ogbonna had approached the Lagos State High Court, praying it to grant him bail, pending his formal arraignment by the state government. In the bail application argued by his counsel, Victor Ogude, Ogbonna prayed the court to grant his client bail to enable him support his children financially. Ogude, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued that the charge of manslaughter was bailable and therefore entitled his client to bail.
In an affidavit in support of the bail request deposed to by Ogbonna’s brother, Ifeanyi Elvis Ogbonna, he said the applicant was emotionally and psychological drained in custody without being arraigned.
Opposing the bail application, Martins said that Ogbonna was a flight risk and could flee from justice if granted bail based on the severity of the punishment for the offence. He also argued that the applicant’s counsel has not shown any compelling reason why his client should be admitted to bail.
After listening to the arguments by both counsel, Justice Nicole Clay adjourned to 23 February to deliver a ruling.
Ogbonna is facing a fresh charge of involuntary manslaughter contrary to Section 224(b) and punishable under Section 229 of Criminal Law of Lagos State.
