Man sentenced to 14 years in prison for causing sister’s death

Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere has sentenced one Obinna Udefi to 14 years in prison for the death of his sister.

The convict’s sister died in February 2009 after an incident occuring over the refusal of the deceased to give food to her brother, Udefi.

Udefi was convicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter after the judge, Justice Adedayo Akintoye, discharged him of the offence of murder.

The judge agreed with the defendant’s argument, made by his counsel, Mrs Grace Adenubi, that he did not deliberately kill Oluchi as claimed by the Lagos State Government.

The state had claimed that Udefi stabbed Oluchi in the stomach with a broken bottle, because she refused to give him food, which led to her death.

Udefi has spent nine years in prison custody during since the trial began with Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, but was concluded by Justice Akintoye.

Justice Akintoye dismissed the state’s allegation and upheld Udefi’s argument that after he pushed Oluchi, she fell on a crate of empty bottles and landed on some of the bottles, which had broken on the floor. A few hours later and in unclear circumstances, she died.

The judge held that “The prosecution has been unable to prove that this act of the defendant was intentional.

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“I further find that while the prosecution was unable to prove a case of murder, it had been able to establish a case of manslaughter.

“Once the deceased failed to answer the defendant or give him his food, he ought to have walked past her and get his food himself.

“It is clear that the act of the defendant caused the death of the deceased, albeit inadvertently.”

The judge however held that although Udefi’s push was done without intent to cause grievous bodily harm or death, he was responsible for the consequences.

“Obinna Udefi is hereby found guilty of manslaughter and is accordingly convicted,” Justice Akintoye said.

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