Lagos State Government has arraigned a 48-year-old female lawyer, Udeme Otike-Odibi, for the alleged murder of her 50-year-old husband Symphorosa Otike-Odibi.

She was arraigned before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos High Court sitting in the Igbosere area on two counts bordering on murder and misconduct with regard to a corpse.

Lagos State Prosecutor, Babatunde Sunmonu, told Justice Akintoye that the defendant allegedly murdered her husband, who was also a lawyer, on May 3, 2018, at their residence.

He said the defendant allegedly threatened him with a knife and eventually stabbed him to death and went further to mutilate his body, by cutting off his private part.

According to him, the offence is contrary to section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and punishable by death while the offence of misconduct with regard to a corpse is contrary to Section 165(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 and punishable with five years imprisonment.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After the plea, Justice Akintoye ordered the further remand of the defendant in Kirikiri prison and subsequently adjourned the case till October 8, 9, for hearing.

The defendant was first remanded at Kirikiri prisons by Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye of a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court on May 9.

The Magistrate then adjourned the case till June 25, pending when the Directorate of Public Prosecutions’s legal advice would be out.

The Directorate of Public Prosecutions’s Legal Advice said the available facts established a prima facie case of murder contrary to section 223 punishable by death and misconduct with regard to a corpse contrary to Section 165(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 punishable with five years imprisonment against the suspect Udeme Otike-Odibi

“Facts available in the file reveal that the suspect, subsequent to stabbing her husband, mutilated his corpse by cutting his genitals,” it read in part.

“The suspect is, therefore, to stand trial before the High Court of Lagos State for the murder of her husband and mutilation of his corpse.”