Lagos state government set to arraign female lawyer who killed husband and severed his genital

The Lagos State Government says it is ready to arraign 47-year-old female lawyer, Mrs Udeme Odibi, who allegedly stabbed her 50 year old husband, Otike Odibi, to death and severed his genital at their home in Diamond Estate, Sango-Tedo area of Lekki last month.

At a news conference in Alausa, Lagos today May 28th, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, said the state government was concerned about increasing cases of intimate partner violence in the state, leading to murder.

He said the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP, issued legal advice on the matter, stating that the available facts established a prima facie case of murder contrary to section 223 punishable by death and misconduct with regard to a corpse contrary to section 165 (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 punishable with five years imprisonment against the suspected Udeme. He said his office will ensure the trial receives expidicious hearing.

“Section 165 (b) particularly creates an offence of felony for cutting up or mutilating a human corpse just as we have in the deceased person. Facts available in file reveal that the suspect, subsequent to her stabbing her husband, mutilated his corpse by cutting his genitals, The suspect is therefore to stand trial before the High Court of Lagos for the murder of her husband and mutilation of his corpse. The trial of Udeme Odibi will commence as soon as the case is assigned to a court by the Chief Judge. This office will ensure expeditious trial of this matter,” he said

The commissioner expressed worry at the rising rate of domestic violence in the state, saying that only last month, a Danish national  allegedly killed his wife and child in Lagos.

“The good citizens of Lagos are enjoined to fulfill their role as compulsory reporters by ensuring that any case of domestic violence is immediately reported to the police, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, or any other relevant authority to avoid unnecessary loss of lives,” he said.