By Sunmola Olowookere
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A man in his early twenties, Odunayo Ikudehinbu who was alleged of killing his elder brother, Segun Ikudehinbu aged 35 in Igbokoda has told the court that the deceased only fell down and died during a fight and that he did not kill him as alleged.
It would be recalled that The Hope Metro had earlier reported the arraignment of the accused person who was accused by their family members of hitting the deceased on the head with a hurricane lamp and stabbing him with a knife on the neck.
The accused person was later dragged before a High Court Judge sitting in Akure, Ondo State, presided over by Justice Samuel Bola on one -count charge of manslaughter.
At the commencement of the trial which was stalled due to the absence of the defence counsel, the accused person, Odunayo Ikudehinbu told the court that he had no lawyer as no other family member had been coming to check on him at the police station or at the prison since he had been arrested except for the complainant, one Orimisan Ikudehinbu, who dragged him to court.
The complainant, responding to questions from the presiding judge, Justice Samuel Bola also corroborated the accused person’s claims that he was the only one bringing food and provisions to him.
He described the accused person as a troublesome person who always look for trouble within their family and in their vicinity, saying he did not hate him, but he wants justice done
The accused person represented by one Barr. Olugbenga Adedibu pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the one count charge of killing one Segun Kudehinbu by stabbing him on the head with a hurricane lantern on December 3, 2017 at Ayodele Compound College road, Igbokoda.
According to an information filed before the court by the prosecution led by J.K Orimoloye of the Department of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, the case was reported at the Igbokoda Divisional Police station by the complainant.
From investigation conducted by the police, the prosecution has it that the crime happened following a heated argument which degenerated into a fight between the accused person and the deceased.
In the course of the fight, the accused person reportedly hit a hurricane lamp on the deceased’s head and also stabbed him with a knife on the throat which led to excessive bleeding from the wounded person, and caused his death.
Upon the commission of the crime, the accused person had allegedly taken to his heels, though he was later apprehended by the police after the case was reported to them.
After he was arrested, the police obtained his statement in which he was said to have confessed to the commission of the crime.
However, as the defence opened its case and the accused person who testified as its sole witness, denied his earlier claims in his statement with the police and had told the court that it was the deceased who slapped him, while he held his peace because he was older than him.
He claimed that the deceased had become enraged when other members of the family had rebuked him for causing trouble in the family.
According to the accused person, the deceased had rushed inside the room and brought out a wire, while threatening that none of them would sleep inside the house that day.
He said that in his rage, he fell down and fainted, while the family members had rushed him to the hospital where he gave up the ghost.
Under cross examination, he denied seeing any blood on the deceased as he was rushed to the hospital.
With the testimony of the defendant, the defence closed its case.
The presiding judge, Justice Samuel Bola, then adjourned the case till April 18, 2019 for adoption of written addresses.
