Court remands two cousins over alleged rape, murder of Maersk MD’s wife

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A Lagos High Court has remanded, two cousins Olamilekan (Goke) Oke, 33, and Akande Adeyinka, 27, over alleged rape and murder of Maersk MD’s wife, one Bernadette Tohouo-Tohouo, 44

The Hungarian wife of a Cameroonian, Gildas Tohouo-Tohouo, the managing director of Maersk Nigeria Limited.

The duo who resides at 22 Elepe street, Ikorodu and 12 Odunlami Street Shomolu respectively, were arraigned before Justice Modupe Nico-Clay. Justice Nico- Clay, remanded the defendants after they had taken their plea. The defendants are facing eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, unlawful assault, robbery, armed robbery, and rape, preferred against them by Lagos state government. The Lagos state prosecuting counsel Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, who led the Director of Public Prosecution DPP, Mrs Adeyinka Adeyemi, told the court that the defendants conspired to commit the alleged offences on December 8, 2019.

He said that the incident took place at about 7:30 pm at flat 7A, No 1, Lugard Avenue Ikoyi Lagos. Onigbanjo said “Olamileka (Goke ) Oke, on December 8, 2019, at about 7: 30pm, unlawfully had sexual intercourse with one Bernadetta Tohouo-Tohouo aged 44”. The prosecutor further told the court that the defendants unlawfully killed one Bernadetta Tohouo-Tohouo by suffocating her to death with a small pillow. Onigbanjo SAN, said that the duo attempted to unlawfully kill one Gildas Tohouo-Tohouo, by stabbing him severally on the neck, head and back with a knife and dagger.

The AG, also alleged that Olamilekan (Goke ) Oke raped, the victim before she was killed. According to him, the offenses committed are contrary to and punishable under Sections 233, 230, 173, 299, 297 (2) (a) 411, of the criminal laws of Lagos state of Nigeria 2015. However, the defendants who are technician and printer respectively pleaded not guilty to the charge against them. The first defendant was represented by a counsel A.O. Odusanya, from the Office of the Public Defender OPD, while Mrs L.Y. Salau and I. T. Akingbade, from Legal Aid Council LAC, appeared for the second defendant. Onigbanjo, however, urged the court for a date to commence trial.