Justice Modupe Nico-Clay of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, has remanded two cousins – 33-year-old Olamilekan (Goke) Oke and 27-year-old Akande Adeyinka – at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre for the attempted murder of the Managing Director of Maersk Nigeria, Gildas Tohouo Tohouo, and the rape and murder of his wife, Bernadett, during a home invasion at the couple’s Ikoyi residence.
The defendants who reside at 22 Elepe Street, Ikorodu and 12 Odunlami Street Shomolu, respectively, were arraigned before the court on Wednesday.
The defendants were docked on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, unlawful assault, robbery, armed robbery and rape, preferred against them by Lagos State Government.
Justice Nico-Clay remanded the defendants after they had taken their plea.
The prosecuting counsel was led by Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP,) Mrs Adeyinka Adeyemi.
The prosecution told the court that the defendants conspired to commit the offences on December 8, 2019.
Onigbanjo said that the incident took place at about 7:30 pm at flat 7A, No 1, Lugard Avenue, Ikoyi Lagos.
The charge revealed that: ‘Olamileka (Goke) Oke, on December 8, 2019, at about 7:30 pm, unlawfully had sexual intercourse with one Bernadett Tohouo Tohouo, aged 44.’
The prosecutor told the court that the defendants unlawfully killed Hungarian Bernadett Kurucz Tohouo by suffocating her to death with a small pillow.
Onigbanjo said that the duo had attempted to kill Cameroonian Gildas Tohouo Tohouo by stabbing him severally on the neck, head and back with a knife and dagger.
He said that the defendants unlawfully assaulted Gildas Tohouo Tohouo and caused him harm by beating him severally with a hammer on his head.
Onigbanjo told the court that the defendants, armed with a knife and dagger, robbed Gildas Tohouo Tohouo and Bernadett Kurucz Tohouo of several properties including foreign currencies in different denominations.
Other items stolen were two iPhones, two bottles of wine, two wedding rings and one engagement ring.
The defendants, an electrician and a printer by trade, respectively, pleaded not guilty to the charge against them.
The first defendant was represented by his counsel AO Odusanya, from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), while Mrs LY Salau and IT Akingbade, from the Legal Aid Council (LAC), appeared for the second defendant.
Onigbanjo urged the court for a date to commence trial.
Consequently, Justice Nico- Clay, adjourned the case till June 30 for trial.
THE SUN
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