Man strangles girlfriend to death in Abuja for aborting his child
A 29-year-old married man, Douglas Tamunokopo, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly killing his girlfriend, Udo Abigail because she committed an abortion without his consent.
According to reports, the deceased who was in a romantic relationship with the accused got pregnant but aborted it when she found out that Tamunokopo is a married man with two children in Rivers State.
However, Abigail’s decision led to an argument between her and Tamunokopo which later degenerated into a fight.
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After the fight, according to reports, Tamunokopo left for work, while Abigail was left in the room.
Neighbours became curious when they discovered that Abigail did not come out of Tamunokopo’s apartment and decided to force their way inside the room, they saw the deceased sitting on a chair, with a rope hung on a nail on the wall and tied around her neck.
Tamunokopo was later arrested and charged to court for allegedly killing Abigail.
The charge against him read: “That you, Douglas Tamunokopo, on September 1, 2016, around 3 pm, at the Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja, in the Abuja Judicial Division, did cause the death of your girlfriend, Udo Abigail, by strangulating her to death.”
The prosecutor, Wale Adeagbo, said that the offence was punishable under Section 221 of the Penal Code.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The investigative police officer, Inspector Thomas Zephaniah, recounted how the incident happened after being led in evidence by Adeagbo.
He said: “The officer in charge of the Homicide Section mobilised a team of police officers with me as an investigating police officer, to the scene where the incident occurred.
“There was a scene of purported suicide committed by a young lady. When the room of the accused person was opened, I saw a young lady seated on a plastic chair, with a rope of multiple entanglements tied to her neck, and a rope tied to a five-inch nail on the wall.
“The scene was photographed, the fingerprint was lifted, and the rope untied from the neck of the body. The corpse was thereafter moved to the National Hospital for examination. We approached the naval base of the defendant seeking his whereabouts, and we were told he was with them.
“Thereafter relaying what had happened to them at the naval base, they said an internal investigation would be carried out, and if found wanting, the defendant would be released to the police. On September 2, 2022, the defendant was handed over to the police for further investigation.”
Speaking further, he explained that the rope was removed from the deceased neck and her body was transferred to a hospital where an autopsy was conducted.
According to Zephaniah, an autopsy was carried out, and the cause of the death was asphyxia and strangulation caused by the defendant.
Documents were sought to be tendered through the witness, and the defence counsel, M.E Ogbonna, had no objection. The documents were thereafter admitted in evidence by the Judge as an exhibit in the matter.
Justice C.O Agbaza adjourned the matter till September 26, 2022, for cross-examination.
