When Miss Ogochukwu Nwosu, 35, was leaving her residence on October 6, 2016, she didn’t know that danger was lurking around.
Ogochukwu, who is presently battling to live at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), was bathed with acid at Ilasamaja bus stop, Oshodi- Apapa Expressway, Lagos. The victim was attacked by an unknown man.
The man was said to have jumped down from a motorbike, doused Ogochukwu with acid and jumped back on the motorcycle.
The incident was reported to the police.
Investigation led to the arrest of Mr. Chidi Ubochianjonjo and his wife, Nkiru.
The couple are presently in police custody for allegedly pouring acid on Ogochukwu over a love affair related issue. They have also denied the allegation.
One of the counsel to Ogochukwu, on the platform of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), M.N. Obiagbaoso, attributed the travail of her client to her refusal to marry Anjonjo, who had earlier proposed.
Obiagbaoso recounted:
“Ogochukwu and Ubochi Anjonjo had been relating well for some time. She was about to start a relationship with him when she discovered he is married and has children. She told him she wouldn’t marry him unless he gets permission from his wife. The man went to his wife, Nkiru, to seek permission to marry Ogochukwu.
The wife later started sending threatening text and WhatsApp messages to Ogochukwu. She said our client should leave her husband.
Another man later came to ask for Ogochukwu’s hands in marriage.
While they were planning for the marriage, Ubochianjonjo said Ogochukwu would get married only over his dead body. He said he wouldn’t allow her to get married to another man. Three days before the acid incident, Ubochianjonjo went to her neighbourhood with two men. Ogochukwu’s relatives challenged him.
He told them that he was in the neighbourhood for personal business.” Obiagbaoso said that on the day the acid was poured on Ogochukwu, she was returning from work. She was standing at Ilasamaja bus stop, on Oshodi- Apapa Expressway, waiting for bus, when two men on a motorcycle suddenly appeared from nowhere.
One of them tossed a liquid at her and jumped on the motorcycle; they zoomed off. The liquid was acid; Ogochukwu fell to the ground and screamed in pains. She was assisted by sympathisers.
Obiagbaoso said:
“The next day, Nkiru called and told her that the acid bath was the beginning of her pains.”Ogochukwu’s brother, Mr. Peter Nwosu, said that since the incident, his sister has become a shadow of herself.
He said that the incident plunged the family into sorrow and truncated Ogochukwu’s marriage plans. Peter said:
“My sister is presently battling to live. The first day my mother saw her after the acid bath, she fainted. My mother had to be on hospital admission for a month. Ogochukwu’s face and body have changed.He continued:
In fact, we don’t allow her to look at the mirror. If she sees her image, she might commit suicide.
I don’t understand why a man would pour acid on a lady just because she refused to marry him. Ubochianjonjo approached my sister for marriage. She refused on the grounds that he already has a wife and children.
His wife started threatening my sister with text and WhatsApp messages and telephone calls. The next thing was acid bath.”
Peter said that he was surprised when Nkiru started calling Ogochukwu, threatening her.
On one of the days that Nkiru called, Peter picked. Peter recalled:
“She said that if my sister survived, she wouldn’t try to date another woman’s husband next time. In fact, there are many threatening text and WhatsApp messages from Ubochianjonjo and Nkiru.”
“We’re doing everything possible to save her. She has done seven surgeries in the last six months.Ubochianjonjo 39 and Nkiru 40, last Wednesday appeared before Magistrates’ Court 15 in Lagos State, for allegedly bathing Ogochukwu with acid.
The last surgery was carried out last Monday. I have sold my two cars and other properties to foot her medical bills, which is running to millions of naira. Each surgery carried out cost N180, 000 in addition to about 56 injections. Each of the injection costs N11, 000.”
According to charge No: 0/18/2017, Chidi Ubochianjonjo and Nkiru Ubochianjonjo, were arraigned on a four-count charge.
Count I states:
“That you, Chidi Ubochianjonjo and Nkiru Ubochianjonjo on or about the 6th of October, 2016, at Ilasamaja bus stop, Ilasamaja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire with others at large to commit felony to wit, attempted murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411, Cap C17 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”The defendants, who were called into the dock, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge. But despite the plea by their lawyer, Mr. Ezhemaze, that the court should grant them bail, the presiding magistrate, Mrs. J.O.A. Adepoju, denied the defendants bail and adjourned the matter till April 11, for Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advice.
Speaking to New Telegraph, the four lawyers watching brief for the complainant, Anthony Obi, Louis Nwaugbala, Adeyinka Oriabolu and M.N. Obiagboso, commended the ruling.
Efforts to get reactions from the Ubochianjonjos on the several charges levied against them proved abortive.
The couple’s lawyer, Mr. Ezhemaze, said he wouldn’t like to speak on the matter since it has been referred to the DPP.
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