A witness in the murder case involving Yewande Oyediran, a public counsel in Oyo State, said her husband, Lowo, mistakenly stabbed himself during a disagreement with his wife at their apartment in Ibadan, the state capital.
Yewande is standing trial in an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan for allegedly stabbing her husband, Lowo, to death with a knife during an argument in February 2016.
During the continued hearing of the case on Wednesday, a defence witness, Mr. Michael Lana, told the court that the couple’s landlord, Mr. Akinpelu Adelodun, confessed to him in private that the defendant’s husband mistakenly stabbed himself to death.
While being led in evidence by the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Leye Adepoju, Lana said the couple’s landlord told him at a meeting in his (Adelodun’s) house that the late lawyer’s husband mistakenly stabbed himself while he was struggling for the knife with him as he tried to prevent him from stabbing his wife.
He said, “Adelodun told me that Yewande came out from their apartment screaming for help while her late husband chased her with a knife.
He also told me that at a stage, the late husband pinned down Yewande beside his car and raised the knife to stab her, but that he (landlord) held his hand from behind and the wife was able to escape.
He said while still violent, Lowo mistakenly stabbed himself in the neck.”
Lana had earlier told the court that he was a relative of the landlord and that he had called him on the telephone to narrate to him the events leading to the murder of his late tenant.
He also said that the landlord told him that he (landlord) switched the murder weapon.
“He also asked me for advice on how to handle the matter, adding that he didn’t want to give evidence in court because the police might want to rope him in.
I told him that he can only refuse to testify if his transport fares were not paid by the prosecutor, especially if he is a private counsel.
Based on my advice, he asked me to write to the prosecutor and the defence counsel,” he added.
During cross examination by the prosecution’s counsel, Mr. Sanya Akinyele, Lana said he was in the court to prove that the landlord contacted him and that what he (the landlord) told the police was not the truth.
The case was adjourned by Justice Munta Abimbola till May 24, 2017 for continuation of hearing.