Nigerian who killed wife with skateboard in UK jailed for life

A United Kingdom-based Nigerian man, Olubunmi Abodunde, who murdered his wife, Taiwo, with a skateboard, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after he was found guilty by Ipswich Crown Court.

The 48-year-old Abodunde who relocated to the UK in 2022, was said to have killed his wife by using the skateboard to hit her repeatedly on the head in their Newmarket home, resulting in her death from catastrophic brain injuries in November 2023.

During the sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Abodunde blamed his actions on a loss of control on medication, and admitted to killing his wife.

Abodunde faces a minimum of 17 years in prison before being considered for parole, court documents said, adding that before Taiwo’s death, there was a domestic incident resulting in Abodunde’s arrest.

“He was under bail conditions prohibiting contact with his spouse. The next morning, despite these conditions, Abodunde went to the family home to retrieve a mobile phone,” the documents said.

Earlier, prosecutor Stephen Spence had told the court that Abodunde was aware of his wife’s shift pattern and CCTV showed she had arrived back at about 09:12.

Spence said that two officers had attended the property at about 09:20 to speak with Mrs Abodunde about the previous day’s domestic incident.

“Only the defendant now knows what happened. The officers repeatedly knocked on the door and notified them of their presence but got no response or heard any calls for help.

“However, between 40 and 50 thuds were heard and it was believed to be Abodunde attacking his wife.

“Officers were given clearance by senior police officials to enter the property at 09:45.

“When they entered the front door, they immediately found the lifeless body of Mrs Abodunde with her skull smashed in.

“A postmortem examination revealed that Taiwo had suffered catastrophic brain injuries.

“She also had injuries that were consistent with her body being stamped on as well as being hit with a skateboard. This was found at the property covered in blood and fragments of skull.”

In his ruling, trial judge, Justice Levett described Taiwo’s killing as “ruthless, violent, savage and heartless”.

Levett said Abodunde had lied to officers telling them his wife had attempted to attack him with a knife the day before he murdered her, adding that Abodunde also claimed she had tried to beat him, but no evidence was found to substantiate this, the court was told.

The Judge added that there had been “no self-defence at all” on Abodunde’s part, saying he had heard “no remorse other than sobs from the dock”.

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