Nobody reported violence between slain banker, hubby to me –Landlord

Mr. Julius Akinloye, the landlord of the alleged wife killer, Akolade Arowolo, on Wednesday told an Ikeja High Court that he was not aware of any history of violence between his tenant and his wife, Titilayo (Omozoje).

Akinloye, who rented the apartment to the couple in September 2010, said although he did not live in the same compound with them, no tenant reported any incident of violence between the couple to him.

Akinloye, while being led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, told Justice Lateefah Okunnu that the couple’s apartment had been sealed off since June last year when Titilayo was allegedly murdered by her husband.

Akinloye, the 8th witness for the prosecution, said, “Akolade was my tenant at 18, Akindeinde Street, Isolo, where he and his wife lived. I also have seven other tenants at the building.

“On June 25, 2011, I received a call that there was an issue at the house and my attention was needed. I was told that there was an incident at the house the previous day and Akolade was seen jumping down from the balcony and left the compound and had not been seen since then and the door to his apartment remained locked.

“A call was put through to Akolade’s father (Mudashiru) and I told him to come to the house. When I got to the house, I met Akolade’s father and soon after, the deceased’s stepmother and sister came to the house with keys which they said could open the door to the apartment but the door still did not open.”

Akinloye said at that point, those present suggested that the door be forcibly opened but he urged them to seek police permission first and he left soon afterwards.

Akinloye said after he left, he received a call from Akolade’s father, informing him that the door had been forced open and Titilayo’s corpse was found in the apartment.

While being cross -examined by the defence counsel, Mr. Olanrewaju Ajanaku, Akinloye said on some occasions, Akolade had attended his church and he described the accused as one with no history of violence.

He said, “Sometimes, Akolade attends my church, Redeemed Christian Church of God on Victoria Street, Isolo. So, I know he is a Christian.

“Within the little time I knew him, I did not hear any negative report and co-tenants had never reported him for fighting of any sort.”

Akinloye added that he did not see Titilayo’s corpse but was invited to the state Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, where he wrote statements last month.

However, the 9th witness for the prosecution, Folake Oyakhire, told the court that Akolade had beaten up Titilayo and even injured her.

Folake said on one occasion, Titilayo had a swollen face and bloodshot eyes after being beaten by Akolade.

 “One day, Omozoje went with her husband to a family friend’s place and she called that I should come and see her there. Her face was swollen, eyes bloodshot and when I asked her how she came about the injuries, she said she and Akolade had gone out the night before and he kept on blowing her in the face while she was carrying her baby,” she said.

Folake said this was the only time she could remember as she was always in school.

Folake, who is a law school student in Abuja, said she spoke with Akolade on the day of the incident and had demanded to speak with the deceased but the line cut off and she could not get through again.

She said, “On the day of the incident, I was at home at Gbagada when between 11am and 1pm, my sister, Aidehi, said she received a call from my father who told her that Omozoje (Titilayo) called him and she sounded panicky and apprehensive. My sister told me that my father said we should either go to her house or call her to know what was wrong.

“We told him it was raining but we would call her. I tried her MTN and Starcomms lines. The Starcomms line would connect and someone would pick but we couldn’t hear. So, we assumed it was network problem. Eventually, I was able to get through to her line and Akolade picked the call.

“I greeted him and asked about my sister and he said they had a minor issue but it had been resolved. I asked to speak to her but he told me to hold on for two minutes. I told him I would wait and he should give her the phone. The line went off and I kept on calling, it would ring but nobody picked the call.”

Folake said it was the next day that she learnt that Titilayo had been murdered and on visiting the house, she saw a broken knife lodged in the deceased’s neck, a deep wound in the left part of her chest and her eyes dangling from the sockets.

Ajanaku, while cross-examining Folake, pointed out that there was an inconsistency between the statement she had written at the SCID and her testimony in court as regards the description of the corpse.

Folake had written in her statement that the breast of the deceased had been cut off as opposed to a deep wound in her chest.

Folake apologised to the court and described it as an oversight.

The matter was adjourned till May 2, 2012, for further hearing.