Togolese Cook, Who Allegedly Murdered Boss, Opts For Plea Bargain Arrangement

Togolese Cook, Who Allegedly Murdered Boss, Opts For Plea Bargain Arrangement

A Lagos State High Court in Igbosere on Tuesday heard that a Togolese cook, Sunday Adefonou Anani, who allegedly murdered his boss, Opeyemi Badamosi, Chairman of Credit Switch Technology has opted for a plea bargain arrangement with the state’s Ministry for Justice.

This information was disclosed to the court by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs Titilayo Shitta-Bey at the resumption of the trial of the foreigner over an alleged two-count charge of murder and armed robbery filed against him by the state

According to Mrs. Shitta-Bey, they have received a letter, from the counsel of the defendant, Director of the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) Mrs Aderenra Adeyemi, to enter into plea bargain.

The prosecutor, however, said that the office of the Attorney General of Lagos State, has been notified of the application but no decision has been made on it.

The state government accused 22-year-old Anani of committing the offences on October 31, 2018 at Bademosi’s Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos residence.

He was alleged to have stabbed Bademosi to death with a knife and stole his valuables, including the deceased’s phone.

The prosecution had told the court that the offences are contrary to sections 223 and 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The foreigner, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, following which the judge remanded him in prison custody.

Also during yesterday proceedings, a prosecution witness, Nura Mamoud narrated to the court how the late businessman was killed.

Mamud, who worked as security man to the deceased and his wife said that he arrived the deceased house on the same day with the defendant.

The witness testified that while he arrived at about 6pm, the defendant was brought by the deceased around 10pm.

Mamoud, who was led in evidence by Mrs. Shitta-Bey, also claimed that when he saw the defendant, he wore a white singlet and a blue short jeans, he then asked him while he was sweating, so much and where he was going to, and that the defendant informed him that he was sent on an errand, by madam ( Mrs Ebunoluwa Gbademosi), the deceased’s wife).

He added that he then gave the defendant N200, out of the N5,000, that the deceased’s widow gave him, and asked the defendant to help him buy soda water, but that the defendant, immediately, he collected the money, from, him, he started walking fast and even when he was beckoning on him to buy the soda drink from a shop not too far from the gate post, he just waved him down and hurriedly left, so he then went back to the gate post.

Mamud said that, he didn’t see the defendant with anything, when he was leaving the house.

He also stated that as soon as the defendant left, Madam (Mrs Gbademosi) also came down stairs through the kitchen door and came to ask him of the defendant whereabouts, he then told her that the defendant had gone for an errand she allegedly sent him.

The witness said, “Madam said no that she didn’t send him on errand, that she has been at the kitchen door, knocking and Sunday didn’t open the door for her.”

The witness who spoke in pidgin English, and was interpreted, into English and French, by an interpreter, John Idowu, said that after telling the deceased’s widow, that the defendant alleged that she was the one that sent him on an errand, she then went into the house through the front door and few minutes later she came out with her hands on her head crying.

He further told the court that Mrs Gbademosi, asked him to go and check if the defendant’s clothes were still in the boys quarter, adding that when he got into the room, he didn’t see the defendant, but saw his clothes and phone in the room.

The witness said, “she then asked me to go and look for Sunday.

“Since I don’t know anywhere in Ikoyi, I went to the central mosque at Ikoyi and begged somebody to allow me use his phone to call my brother, who brought me to the deceased’s house.

“I called my brother Salisu, and informed him of what has happened, so he came to pick me at the Ikoyi central mosque and we drove to the house. By the time we got there, we saw a crowd and police officers, so my brother parked his car on the street”.

“As we were entering into the house, one police officer stopped me and asked who I was, I told him, I am the security man, he asked who the second person was, I said it is the person that brought me to madam.

“After introducing myself, the police man said so you killed oga and ran away, I said no, that if I killed oga, I will not be around, that i would have ran away.

“So one of their boss came out and said they should take my brother and I to Ikoyi Police station, before we were later taken to Panti, Yaba. we were released two weeks later,” Mamoud claimed.

When asked where he got N5000, out of which he gave the defendant N200, from his pocket to buy him soda water, he responded, that he got the money from madam.

He said ” The day my brother brought me, madam, gave him her Automated Teller Machine ATM, card to withdraw N10,000, and give me N5000, so that I can use the money to get something for myself, anytime I’m hungry and she has not given me food.”

However the case has been adjourned till June, 14, for cross examination of the witness.