Suspect denies killing ‘drunk’ girlfriend

A 30-year-old fruit seller, Murtala Magaji, on Monday denied being responsible for the death of his girlfriend, Adama Idris, whom he described as a drunkard. Magaji is being tried before an FCT High Court, Kubwa, for allegedly killing Idris. Led in evidence by his counsel, Mrs Olaide Akinseye-George, Magaji said he was not responsible for […]

A 30-year-old fruit seller, Murtala Magaji, on Monday denied being responsible for the death of his girlfriend, Adama Idris, whom he described as a drunkard.

Magaji is being tried before an FCT High Court, Kubwa, for allegedly killing Idris.

Led in evidence by his counsel, Mrs Olaide Akinseye-George, Magaji said he was not responsible for her girlfriend’s death.

Magaji said he lived with the deceased for five years and had over the years tried to stop her from excessive drinking.

The accused said the deceased was also into hard drugs, which he believed she took a day before she died.

“That day, after she finished cooking around 8:00 p.m., she told me that she was going out to buy something and that she would be back soonest; but she didn’t return until around past 10:00 p.m.

“As she approached me, I noticed a wound on her forehead; she was also drunk and continued to stagger.

“I ushered her into the house and reminded her that we had an earlier agreement that she would stop drinking and taking drugs.

“I made it clear to her that she had refused to keep to her promise; as such, I was not happy.

“I then brought the food and we both ate and slept off,” he said.

Magaji said that he woke her up around 4:30 a.m., when he was about to pray.

“She told me that she had a headache and wanted a pain reliever, which I promised to buy.

“At about past 7:00a.m., that morning, while going about my business in the market, policemen came to arrest me and took me to Zuba Police Station.

“It was at the station that the DPO told me that my girlfriend, who was living with me, was reported dead.

“I was confused and pleaded with them to take me to see her corpse, but they refused; saying that they would investigate and get back to me.

“I was detained there for three days before taken to the Police Command Headquarters and from there to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office,” he said.

The prosecuting counsel, A. O. Urom, who cross-examined Magaji, asked if he questioned the deceased how she sustained the wound on her forehead and if the two had fought that night or in the past.

The defendant, who said he did, explained that the deceased told him she fell down and hit her head.

He also stated that they did not fight that night and never did.

Earlier, Akinseye-George, had told the court that the defendant was her only witness so far, as all other intended witnesses, had run away.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the defendant, who pleaded not guilty to alleged culpable homicide, was first arraigned on June 29, 2016.

He was alleged to have on January. 22, 2016 beaten the victim, his girlfriend, to stupor; hitting her head against the wall with the knowledge that it may result to death.

The judge, Justice Bello Kawu, adjourned further hearing in the matter till April 25. (NAN)