Sophia Michaels
A 32-year-old man, Ayomide Adewale, has been remanded in a correctional centre by a Magistrates’ Court sitting in Yaba, Lagos for allegedly causing the death of his pregnant girlfriend, Hannah Eniku.
The Lagos State Police Command arraigned the defendant before Magistrate O.Y. Adefope on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Adewale was said to have given Hannah a concoction with the intent to terminate her pregnancy.
It was gathered that Hannah and the defendant met on Facebook and started dating in June 2022. When the deceased got pregnant for the defendant, he pleaded with her to ab*rt the pregnancy because he was not financially stable.
In November 2022, the deceased was said to have visited the defendant in his residence at Gospel Street, Mashalashi, Alagbado, Lagos where he allegedly gave her some concoction to drink. According to the deceased’s mother, she returned home with severe stomach pain and she was rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital where surgery was performed.
The police prosecutor, Haruna Magaji, told the court that the defendant committed the crime on November 1, 2022, at Gospel Street, Mashalashi, Alagbado, Lagos State. Magaji said the offence contravenes and is punishable under Sections 147 and 224(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
The charge read in part, “That you, Ayomide Adewale, on November 1, 2022, around 6.05pm at Gospel Street, Mashalashi, Alagbado, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District did cause the death of one Hannah Eniku by giving her concoction with intent to terminate her pregnancy and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 224(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”
The defendant’s plea was not taken.
The prosecutor prayed the court to remand the defendant pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution. Granting the request, Magistrate Adefope remanded the defendant to the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending DPP advice.
Adefope also adjourned the case till May 9, 2023, for trial.
