Pregnant woman dies two days after husband’s brutality

A pregnant woman, Mrs. Funmilayo Ajibola, died last Wednesday in Badagry, Lagos State after being allegedly brutalised by her husband, Kola. The 30-year-old housewife had been a victim of domestic abuse for years before she died on the fateful day.


Funmilayo’s cousin, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said Kola, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, was a jealous husband who always suspected his wife’s movements.


She said, “Kola is a very jealous husband. My cousin changed her phone lines more than 15 times throughout their six years marriage lasted because anytime Kola saw a strange number on her phone, he would destroy the SIM card.

“Sometimes, if she came back late or went out, he would beat her. There was a time she visited her father and when she got back home late, Kola told her to pick between him and her father.
“According to a young girl that lives with the couple, on Sunday night, Funmilayo received a call from her maternal uncle and when Kola saw the number, he started beating her. He did not even listen to her explanation.”

The cousin said when the beating got out of hand, the landlord intervened and took Funmilayo to his flat.
The landlord was said to have told Funmilayo to go back to her husband’s apartment believing that his anger would have subsided but Kola was said to have continued to beat her.

PUNCH Metro learnt that although the deceased did not die after the beating, she started exhibiting strange symptoms before her death.

Her cousin said, “Although I wasn’t there, the young girl that lives with them told me that Funmilayo was unconscious for a while, making Kola to become scared.
“Kola rushed her to a nearby hospital where she started to vomit blood. The hospital refused to admit her because they owed the hospital some money.

“Kola then took her back to the house and invited an auxiliary nurse to come and attend to her but her health continued to deteriorate.”
The nurse was said to have given the deceased some injections and bags of drip.
“The young girl that lives with them told me that on Tuesday, Funmilayo ate some rice but vomited it soon after. When her health did not improve, the nurse told Kola that she could no longer locate her vein,” our source said.

It was learnt that when Funmilayo died on Wednesday, Kola took her corpse to the Badagry General Hospital mortuary and told the attendant that his wife died of pregnancy complications.
He was said to have promised to return but later fled. Our correspondent learnt that neighbours immediately informed members of Funmilayo’s family who then came to 5, Ilufe Street, Ibereko Bus Stop, Badagry where the couple resided.

It was learnt that when all efforts to trace Kola failed, his younger brother, was arrested by policemen attached to Badagry Police Division.

At the station, Kola’s brother revealed his location and policemen immediately arrested him.
A police source told our correspondent that the 33-year-old suspect admitted beating his wife.
“I am not a doctor but there were bruises on the corpse and there is no doubt that Kola beat her up and he has confessed. He however said he did not kill her,” he said.

Funmilayo’s  cousin however berated the police on how the investigations were being handled.
She said, “Kola has been beating Funmilayo for a long time to the extent that the landlord had issued them a quit notice for fear that he might kill her.

“Police should have invited the landlord for questioning as well as the nurse that was treating Funmilayo. Also, the case should have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department by now,” she said.
When contacted the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said the command would ensure that a thorough investigation was carried out.

She said, “Investigation will be done professionally. The Badagry Division has to conclude preliminary investigations before transferring the case to the SCID.
“Also, Kola will be charged with murder because all evidence points to him. It’s a clear case and there will be no cover up.

“We are waiting for approval from a magistrate court before going ahead with the autopsy and once all things are in order, he’ll be charged to court.”

Culled from Punch