Magistrate remands 22 – year – old who killed boss, mother in custody

By Peter Fowoyo, Lagos

A 22-year-old domestic servant, Joseph Ogbu, who allegedly killed his employer and her mother, two days after he was employed, has been remanded by an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court.

The Magistrate, Miss O.A. Olagbende on Thursday ordered that Ogbu should be kept in the Ikoyi Prison.

However, the court did not take the plea of Ogbu as the magistrate said she needed advice from the Lagos state Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Olagbende ordered that the defendant should remain behind bars for the next 30 days pending the receipt of the advice.

Earlier, police prosecutor, O. W. Ologun, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 19, at 10.00p.m, at No. 4, Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, Lagos.

Ologun alleged that the defendant used a sharp object to stab his employer, 36-year-old Oreoluwa John to death and strangled her 89-year-old mother, Mrs. Adejoke John to death.

He also said that the defendant stole his employer’s Toyota Camry car, Gionee, Itel and Nokia phones, a power bank, a pair of scissors, two cutlasses, an LG Plasma television set and a handbag containing clothes and towels.

According to him, murder contravenes Sections 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2011 while stealing offends Section 287 of the same law.

The prosecutor also backed the application for Ogbu’s remand with Section 264 (1) and (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos state 2011.

Ogbu was not represented by a counsel.

But, before granting the application, the magistrate made an enquiry from the investigative police officer in the case.

The police officer, who did not identify himself by name, replied that “On June 18, 2019, the deceased employed him as her house help. On the following day, he accosted her that he needed N4, 000. The deceased now said when did you come that you are already demanding money?

“That’s where he had an issue with her and he used an iron fork he was eating with to stab her several times in the stomach following which she fell and died. The mother was inside her room hearing them.

“The daughter was saying mummy, mummy Joseph has killed me, Joseph has killed me. As she (the mother) tried to come out, he grabbed hold of the old woman of 89 years and strangled her to death around 9pm. He was there until around 2am.

“He then took the keys of the deceased’s car, opened the gate and drove out. He had earlier removed the plasma from the wall on the parlour and put it in the car along with other items.”

He said the defendant was caught by security men on the street as he tried to drive off.