New Telegraph

Cousins remanded for Maersk’s MD’s wife’s rape, murder

Justice Modupe Nico-Clay of a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere yesterday remanded two cousins in prison custody for the rape and murder of a Hungarian woman, Mrs. Bernadette Tohouo-Tohouo.
Bernadette (44), wife of a Cameroonian, Gildas Tohouo-Tohouo, the managing director of Maersk Nigeria Limited, was allegedly raped and killed by the cousins, Olamilekan (Goke) Oke (33) and Akande Adeyinka (27).

The accused, Oke and Adeyinka, were remanded following their not guilty plea.
The defendants are facing an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, unlawful assault, robbery, armed robbery and rape, preferred against them by the Lagos State government.

The prosecution counsel, who is the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, who led the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs. Adeyinka Adeyemi, told the court that the defendants conspired to commit the alleged offences on December 8, 2019.
Onigbanjo said that the incident took place about 7:30p.m., at Flat 7A, No 1, Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He added: “Olamilekan (Goke ) Oke, on December 8, 2019, about 7:30p.m., unlawfully had sexual intercourse with Bernadetta Tohouo-Tohouo aged 44.”
The prosecutor further informed the court that the defendants unlawfully killed Bernadetta by suffocating her to death with a small pillow.

The prosecutor also said that the duo attempted to unlawfully kill Gildas Tohouo-Tohouo, by stabbing him several times on the neck, head and back with a knife and dagger.
Onigbanjo said that the defendants unlawfully assaulted Gildas and caused him harm, by beating him several times with a hammer on his head.

The commissioner added that the defendants, while armed with a knife and dagger, robbed Gildas and Bernadette of several properties, including foreign currencies in different denominations.
Two iphones, two bottles of wine, two wedding rings and one engagement ring were also said to be carted away.
Onigbanjo also alleged that Oke raped Bernadette before she was killed.
According to him, the offences committed are contrary to and punishable under Sections 233, 230, 173, 299, 297 (2) (a) 411, of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
But the defendants, who are technician and printer respectively, denied the charges against them.
The first defendant was represented by a counsel, A. O. Odusanya, from the office of the Public Defender (OPD), while Mrs. L. Y. Salau and I. T. Akingbade, from the Legal Aid Council (LAC), appeared for the second defendant.
Onigbanjo urged the court for a date to commence trial.
Justice Nico-Clay adjourned the case till June 30, for trial.

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