A Lagos State High Court on Thursday, July 7, sentenced a couple, Fortune and Steve Nwankwo, to 16 years imprisonment for the involuntary mansl@ughter of their 19-year-old maid, Joy Adole.
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They were both accused of k#llingAdole on April 20, 2020, at their residence located at Bariga, Lagos They however, denied the allegation, claiming that Adole cœmmitted s¥ic#de by h@nging herself in her bedroom.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala found the couple guilty of conspiracy and mansl@ughter. While delivering judgment in suit no ID/13178C/20, Justice Ogala held that the prosecution had proved the charge of mansl@ughter, conspiracy and attempt to pervert justice and misconduct as regards the de@th of their maid at their residence.
The court convicted Stephen of the charges of conspiracy, attempt to pervert justice, misconduct and accessory after the fact of felony. The judge held that the court was convinced that the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were not only strong but also corroborated the fact that the housemaid d#exdue to the be@ting by Fortune (first defendant).
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“The first defendant be@t the deceased which caused her de@th as she had not been feeling well prior to the incident. The defendants did not inform or call the family of the deceased from 5am when they found out she had d#ex until noon when the second defendant called the sister of the deceased and asked for her full name and other personal information so as to enable them to embalm her in the morgue.
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The second defendant, having found out that the first defendant had k#lled the deceased due to the be@ting, assisted her in perverting the course of justice by h@nging the body with a rope. There were three adults in the house: the defendants and the housemaid. The defendants were the last two adults that got in contact with the housemaid before her de@th. “The judge, thereafter, sentenced Fortune to 14 years in jail, while Steve bagged two years imprisonment.
