Man accused of killing girlfriend tells court he fled the scene to save his life
A 37-year-old man, Kelechukwu Chukwuanugo, accused of killing his girlfriend, on Tuesday told a Lagos High Court, sitting in Igbosere that he fled the crime scene to save his life.
Chukwuanugo, who is facing a murder charge, said this while been cross-examined by the Lagos State Prosecutor, Mr Tunde Sunmonu.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant has been in custody since his first arraignment on Jan. 20, 2016.
The defendant, who opened his defence on March 5, told the court that he was in love with the woman and had no intention of killing her.
He said that he fled the crime scene on noticing that the late girlfriend, Lizzy Nzewi, was foaming from the mouth, adding that the woman’s death was not intentional.
Chukwuanugo said the two were having a fight over a misunderstanding when the woman slumped.
The defendant told the court he also sustained an injury in his scrum while struggling with the deceased.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the defendant narrated that after noticing that the deceased was not moving, he took her ATM card and withdrew N120, 000 from her account, which he used to flee the country.
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“I was running for my life, there was nothing I could do for her when I noticed she was not moving after falling.
“I was arrested by the police in Cote D’ Voire when I parked the car by the roadside.
“I did not know she will die, we were dragging her phone, we slipped and fell on the floor,” Chukwuanugo told the court.
Earlier, the defence counsel, Mr J.C. Jiakponna had told the court that the hospital where the defendant was treated from his injuries, was not cooperating with the defence team, adding that the hospital’s evidence would help the case of his client.
He also told the court that the police refused to produce the defendant’s seized international passport, drivers’ licence and the ATM card, would be fatal to his case.
The defence counsel tendered letters written to the hospital and the police which were admitted in evidence and closed his case.
Justice Adedayo Akintoye, consequently adjourned until Nov. 27, for both counsels to file their written addresses.
NAN reports that the prosecutor, earlier said the defendant committed the alleged offence on July 19, 2014, at about 2.00p.m, at plot 34, Green Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.
He said that the defendant allegedly killed the deceased by strangling her with a wrapper, an offence, he said contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 201