Naval officer’s elder brother stabbed him to death over father’s estate, police detective tells court

Wale was allegedly murdered by Abiodun Allen, 31, following an argument over their father’s property.

According to the detective, Wale, who was serving in Port  Harcourt, had visited the family home to settle a dispute over their late father’s property which was allegedly taken over by Abiodun.

Led in evidence by the Prosecutor, Mrs R. O. Ahmed-Muili, Lamidi told the court that Abiodun, was 27  years old when he committed the offence at 11.00 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2013 at their family’s house located at 5, Oritse St., at Imude community in Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area.

He also explained the series of events that led to Abiodun’s arrest by the Police.

“In 2013, I was serving at Ilemba-Hausa Police Station, Ajangbadi.

“At 8.00 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2013, I was on duty at the police station and I got a distress call from the Baale of Imude community that someone who had committed murder was being held at the palace.

“When I got to the Baale’s palace, I saw the defendant and I was informed by people in the palace that he had killed his brother and I immediately arrested him and took him to the crime scene.

“At the crime scene, I saw the deceased (Wale Allen) in the pool of his blood in a bush at the back of the building.

“I interrogated him on the spot and he admitted that he stabbed the deceased with a broken bottle.

“He said he wanted to bury his brother’s body before he was caught red-handed,” Lamidi said.

He added:“I made an attempt to move the corpse to the mortuary but the relatives of the deceased declined, saying they wanted to bury him in a traditional way.

“I brought a photographer who took pictures of the crime scene. The photographer, however, cannot be currently located as the pictures were taken a long time ago and his shop was demolished alongside other shops on the street.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ahmed-Muili, the prosecutor, wanted to tender the crime scene photographs as evidence but it was opposed by Abiodun’s counsel, Mrs Y.A. Ajayi, on the grounds that the defence was not aware of the existence of such photographs.

“The defence is objecting, we were not informed about the pictures and we cannot be taken by surprise,” she said.

Following the defence’s objection, the crime scene photographs were withdrawn by the prosecution.

Lamidi, in his evidence, also said that the defendant as well as two witnesses — Kehinde Allen and Sunday Agbogorin –made statements to the police.

“The defendant was `charged and cautioned’ in English Language and we took his statement where he confessed to the murder.

“Since it is a capital offence, the case was transferred to the Homicide Division of the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Panti, Yaba.

“I made a statement to the police at the CID and I returned to my duty post,” the detective said.

While also being cross-examined by Ajayi, Lamidi denied the claim that Abiodun was restrained when he apprehended him at the Baale’s palace.

“When I saw him at the Baale’s palace, many people surrounded him as his hands were not tied, I handcuffed him and he followed me to the crime scene,” he said.

The judge adjourned the case until June 12 for continuation of trial.