memory of Godwin Olah, 37, following an incident that claimed the life
ofhis 28- year-old wife, Stella, during a row with a neighbour
identified as Stella Omoigiafo Gilbert (31). The suspect, a mother of
one, allegedly pierced the heart of the deceased, a mother of three
aged between six andthree, with a knife after a scuffle in their
compound.
The grieving husband of the deceased who hails from Obudu local
Government Area of Cross River State, Godwin, told Crime Alert at
their number 59, Ojora Street, Ajegunle, Lagos residence that the
suspect alsoinflicted severe injuries on his wife's hand before
piercing her heart resulting to her death. Amidst tears, he narrated
his ordeal since the untimely death of his wife.
His story: "It happened that on June 22, 2013, at about 6pm, one of
mysisters came calling on us. I decided to carry one small bench at
the frontof a neighbour's house for the visitor to sit inside our
room. Immediately, Stella, our neighbour, rushed out of her room and
accosted me, asking why I should carry the bench inside. The owner of
the bench, on hearing our argument, came out and asked her to let us
be, but she refused, instead she went inside, brought out hot water
and poured on us. I reasoned that if I engage in a fight with her, it
might result to some serious consequences, so, I went to the police
station at Ajaromi and reported the case.
"On getting back to the house, I saw my wife lying on the corridor in
frontof our room. I shook her but no response came from her, and the
lady thatengaged her in a fight was nowhere to be found. Hence, I went
back to the station the second time to report of her death. The Police
sent an officer to accompany me and see things for herself. The
officer came, saw the lifeless body of my wife on the corridor and we
went back to the station where she made her report.
The Police also requested that I get a report from the General
Hospital here in Ajegunle. I took the body of my wife there and she
was confirmed dead on arrival. There after, with the help of some good
Samaritans around, I took her body to the Naval hospital mortuary, but
she was rejected because we did not go with a police report. I
brought her back and laid her on the floor in our room until the next
morning.
Then, I went back to the police station and was given a police van to
convey her to Lagos Island mortuary. She has been at the morgue for a
month and three days now. Since then, our children have been sleeping
attheir aunt's house, I go there every night to pass the night with
them because they can't sleep if I am not there with them."
Crime Alert gathered from an eye witness that after the accused poured
hot water on Godwin Olah and his visiting sister, his wife went to her
roomto accost her on why she should treat her husband and sister
in-law in such manner, a fight ensued between both women and in the
process, the accused tried to drag the deceased to the stove where she
was cooking to burn her, but when she discovered she could not drag
Stella Godwin (the deceased) to the fire, she brought out a knife and
pierced through her right arm and her heart.
"Stella died as a result of the knife wound on her heart; the fight
was so fierce that we all took off, returning only to see Stella
Godwin lying in a pool of her blood on the corridor in front of their
room," the eye witness said.
Another neighbour also told Crime Alert on condition of anonymity that
there have been a no- love -lost relationship between the two
neighbours. "Before that incident, both neighbours had lived like cat
and rat in this compound. They quarrelled at the slightest
misunderstanding. I wish theylistened to us, this would have been
averted."
Genesis: Tracing the genesis of the quarrel between his family and the
suspect, the husband of the victim also said he fell out with the
accused who also shared the same first name (Stella) with his deceased
wife, afterhe prevented her from using a knife on her (the suspect)
sister during a scuffle. "I have lived in this compound for 20 years
now. I was here when she rented her room. We lived as good neighbours,
she was best of friendswith my wife. It wasl the day I stopped the
lady from using a knife to inflict injuries on her sister during a
fight that she saw me, my wife and our children as enemies, " he
stated.
It was gathered that the body of the deceased has been conveyed to her
home town in Obudu- Akwa-Ibom state for burial; while the accused
Stella Omoigiafo Gilbert was remanded in prison custody after she was
arraigned at the magistrate court in Ebute Metta.
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