3 Arraigned For Attempting To Murder Popular Lagos Pastor’s Wife

The Lagos State Police Command yesterday arraigned three men – a 24-year-old dog-handler Abdulkareem Mohammed, a 36-year-old herbalist Akeem Makinde-Ewuosi and a 29-year-old guard Paul Eke – before a Lagos Magistrate Court in Tinubu for allegedly attempting to murder Ibidunni Ighodalo, the wife of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House Church.

The three were arraigned before the court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and attempted murder.
According to the prosecutor, Chidi Okoye, the three men, who all reside on Lagos Island, attempted to murder the victim with the same poisonous substance which they used to poison Simba, the pastor’s four-month-old dog sometime between January 28 and February 10, 2015, at about 10pm at 4b Ogun Street, Osborne Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.
He also alleged that the first defendant, who allegedly had sexual fantasies towards Mrs Ighodalo, planned to kill her husband after killing the dog, so that the affection she has for her husband and the dog will be transferred to him.
The defendants were later apprehended after Mrs. Ighodalo said she “prayed and the Holy Spirit revealed” to her that something was wrong.
When the defendants were confronted with the allegation, they confessed to have poisoned the dog and that they were also planning to getting rid of her.
The prosecutor also told the court that the first defendant claimed that he got a black soap and powder from the herbalist who asked him to buy a sponge, bath with it and throw it into the river.
According to Okoye, the native doctor had assured Mohammed that after the bath he would be able to demand for N10m and any other thing he wanted from Mrs Ighodalo and she would give them to him.
The offences, Okoye said, are contrary to Section 409 and punishable under Sections 228 (1) (2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.
The defendants pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges and were granted bail by Magistrate A. O Awogboro to the tune of N500,000 each, with two sureties in like sum.
The case was adjourned to March 18, 2015.