A businessman, Uchechukwu Orji, yesterday told a Lagos High
Court in Igbosere, that his fiancée, simply called 'Ijeoma', was
allegedly murdered by her ex boyfriend, Ifeanyi Christian.
Orji, who testified yesterday as the second prosecution
witness in Christian's trial before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo,
said Ijeoma, 26, was declared missing on January 12, 2013,
but was found dead four days later.
Christian, an apprentice spare parts trader at ASPAMDA,
Trade Fair Complex, Ojo, Lagos is being prosecuted by the
state for Ijeoma's death.
Led in evidence by State Counsel, Mrs A. A. Saromi, Orji said
he was formally engaged to the deceased, who was a food
vendor, and that they had made plans to get married.
He said Ijeoma travelled to her home town in the east in
December 2012, for the Christmas and New Year celebrations
but visited him at his home in the Ojo area of Lagos, on her
return on Friday, January 11, 2013.
The witness testified that while they were discussing in his
room, the deceased's phone kept ringing but she ignored it
and when he asked her who it was, "she said the caller was
just a friend."
He said he insisted on knowing who it was and she eventually
told him the caller was her ex boyfriend, Ifeanyi Christian,
who was trying to renew their relationship.
She also told him, the witness added, that Christian wanted
her to come over to his house, but that he forbade her.
Orji said he saw the deceased off to where she boarded a
motorbike to her neighbourhood in Agboju, Ojo Local
Government Area. He phoned her when she got to Alakija Bus
Stop, near her home and also spoke to her elder sister, who
she ran into at the bus stop.
The witness said the following day, a Saturday, he called her
number from about 4pm till about 7pm but there was no
response. He decided to give her some time because he
thought she was probably attending to customers at her shop.
"At about 10pm, when I called her line again and didn't get any
response, I became very worried. I then called Ijeoma's sister
who told me that she was probably busy at work. The sister
called me back to tell me that she had checked and couldn't
find her sister. We started searching for her that night and
continued the search on Sunday morning to no avail," he said.
Orji said the next day the deceased's friend named Joy, told
him she met Ijeoma the day before while the deceased was on
her way to return a bottle of acid which the defendant kept in
her possession. Joy also told him that the defendant worked
at a shop at ASPAMDA at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo.
"On Monday, I went straight to the place where she directed
me and I met an elderly man, who told me to check Ifeanyi in
the shop, but Ifeanyi wasn't there. So, I went back to the man,
and he gave me a seat and asked me to wait for Ifeanyi.
He said the defendant was his apprentice and asked me if
there was a problem and I said yes, there was a murder case,"
the witness stated.
Orji said when the defendant showed up at the market and
was questioned about the deceased, he fled but was arrested
by security officials at the complex and taken to FESTAC
Police Station.
He added that defendant later told them that Ijeoma was dead.
Justice Taiwo adjourned the case till October 24, for
continuation of trial and possible cross examination by
defence counsel, Mr. T. A. Jiakpona.
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