Court remands Anambra native doctor for attempted murder

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has remanded a native doctor, identified simply as Nonso, in prison custody over an attempted murder of a 25-year-old lady.

Nonso, an indigene of Umuona in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra was on Wednesday, brought before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, sitting in Awka and presided over by His Worship, Genevieve Osakwe.

It was gathered that the suspect, who was in a relationship with a single mother of two children, had sent a commercial motorcyclist to pick up the woman and her children and when they got to his place, he later slit the woman’s neck and attempted to bury her and her two children in an already waiting grave at his backyard.

The victim, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, after she was discharged from the hospital, said she went to see the suspect on the said day because he had earlier promised to marry her.

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She said, “On that fateful day the suspect sent a bike man to bring me and my kids to his house. He didn’t allow us to go home that day because it was already late. He later told me that he has a surprise for me, and he used a white handkerchief to blindfold me.

“It was at that point that I struggled to know what was happening but unfortunately it was too late for me as the suspect had already brought a knife and started slitting my throat.”

The victim further claimed that although she struggled with the suspect, but she was overpowered and was dragged to an already dug 4-5ft grave in the suspect’s backyard and she was pushed into the grave. 

She also said that the suspect threw a big stone at her while in the grave and went to carry a shovel to cover her with sand, when she started shouting, thereby alerting the suspect’s elder sister, who was sleeping inside the room.

According to her, it was the suspect’s sister who came to rescue her after she had also alerted members of the public who in turn captured the native doctor, but by then, the bike man who was his accomplice had escaped.

The state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, was said to have come to the rescue of the victim and her two children, through the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence response team, and the suspect was later arraigned.

This was after the matter was brought to the attention of the commissioner, who quickly made arrangements for the victim and her two children through the SGBV response team, and further ensured that the matter comes up in court to serve as a deterrent to others who engage in the such dastardly act.

During the proceedings at the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court, presided over by His Worship, Genevieve Osakwe the charge was read to the defendant but no plea was taken.

Also, the court remanded the defendant at the state correctional centre and ordered that the police transmit the original case file to the office of the state attorney general.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to December, while the court ordered the police to ensure the arrest of the fleeing motorcyclist, identified as the accomplice.