Monarch Wife Shot Thrice 4 Men Charge

The traditional ruler was kidnapped at his palace at Iba on July 16, 2016 a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of four men charged has being charged with the kidnapping.

A traditional ruler of Iba in Lagos State, Oba Goriola Oseni, on Friday told an Igbosere High Court that the monarch’s wife was shot thrice while abducting the ruler.

Dr Grace Eke, a consultant surgeon from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, said this while testifying during Friday’s proceedings.

She said the monarch’s wife Olori Abosede Oseni, suffered four gunshot wounds from three bullets.

Four men — Duba Furejo, Ododowo Isaiah, Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh — were arraigned on October 24, 2016 on an eight-count bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, and kidnapping.

The police had said that the accused murdered ‎a security guard, Sunday Okanlawon, a commercial motorcyclist, Joseph Okeke and also robbed the monarch’s wife of her mobile phone before shooting her several times.

The offences contravened Sections ‎233, 230, 299, 297 (2) (b) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Lagos State, 2015.

At the resumed trial of the case on Friday, Mr Jide Martins, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, introduced Eke as the sixth prosecution witness.

Eke said a team of surgeons and other doctors received the woman in the early hours of July 17, 2016, suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds.

He said, “She was pale, restless and in shock. She lost a lot of blood from her wounds, her blood pressure was low and she was very drowsy.”

She also said that the wounds were likely caused by bullets and that two operations were carried out on her.

He said, “The Olori would have died had the treatment not administered on time; also, the surgeries saved her from immediate death.”

Under cross-examination by counsel to the accused, Messers G. O. Egwuaroje and Anthony Onwueze, Eke confirmed that she had several gunshot wounds.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned continuation of trial to Feb. 28.

(NAN)