Domestic Violence: Court remands man for allegedly killing wife in Ebonyi

A 54-year-old man, Eseni Etta Chima, has been remanded in custody by the order of an Abakaliki Magistrate Court over alleged murder of his wife, Ugochukwu, resulting from domestic violence.

 

Ugochukwu and Chima were married for over 16 years.

 

The death which occured on October 24, 2024 was linked to severe injuries inflicted on her by her husband while perpetrating violence against her on 4th September, 2024.

 

Chima, who appeared in Court for the first time since his arrest by the Police over the incident, however, did not take his plea as the presiding Magistrate, Chinedu Agama, only perused the case file and adjourned the matter to the 31st December, 2024 for a report of compliance.

 

Magistrate Agama had directed that the case file be forwarded to the office of the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for necessary information and legal advise.

 

The Court thereafter ordered that the accused person be remanded in custody of the Abakaliki Correctional Service Centre.

 

Speaking to newsmen on what transpired at the Court session, the Prosecuting Counsel, Monday Aloh, and the Vice Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Ebonyi State, Serah Chukwu, stated that the prosecution Counsel has made necessary applications to the Court as required by law.

 

Aloh explained that the nature of the matter which he described as a case of murder demands that the defendant should go into remand system before other necessary applications can be taken on it.

 

Aloh added: “The next line of action is that the case file would be transmitted from Court to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for necessary action.

 

“The DPP, after going through the case file will file information when need be at the High court, and trial will properly commence.”

 

Meanwhile, the Defence Counsel, Chibuzor Onuoha when approached for comment on the matter, refused speaking to journalists.

 

A relation to the deceased, Becky Orji, in an interview stated that Ugochukwu’s husband, a native of Ekoli in Edda local government area of Ebonyi state has gained notoriety in the neighborhood for constantly perpetrating domestic violence against the wife.

 

She narrated how their neighbours of number 60 Ogbaga road in Abakaliki had in several occasions complained of the level of violence often meted against the deceased by the husband, adding that the man was also having an extramarital affairs with a certain woman.

 

The deceased until her death was a mother of three, who had been married to the accused person for about 16 years before the unfortunate incident that led to her early death.

 

•Photo Caption: The late Ugochukwu.