The trial of Udeme Otike-Odibi, a former Lagos banker and lawyer convicted of killing and mutilating her husband, Symphorosa Otike-Odibi, remains one of the most disturbing murder cases to come before the Lagos State High Court.
Otike-Odibi was convicted in 2023 of murdering her husband and mutilating his corpse. The court subsequently sentenced her to death by hanging for the murder and imposed a five-year prison term for misconduct involving a corpse.
The case dates back to May 3, 2018, when Symphorosa was found dead at the couple’s home in Diamond Estate, Ajah, Lagos, following a violent domestic confrontation.
The night of the murder
The prosecution’s case was that a disagreement between the couple, reportedly linked to allegations of infidelity and marital problems, escalated into violence.
According to evidence presented in court, Otike-Odibi first struck her husband with a frying pan before stabbing him in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.
The prosecution maintained that the attack was not a spontaneous crime of passion but a deliberate act.
Shortly after midnight on May 3, Otike-Odibi reportedly sent a troubling text message to her friend, Maureen Offor. The message raised concerns about her state of mind, prompting her friend to respond and remind her of plans they had discussed, including travelling to the United Kingdom and prioritising her health.
By about 2am, Symphorosa’s sister, Dr Anwuli Akwukwuma, became concerned after being unable to reach him. She contacted a neighbour, Stanley Grange-Koko, to check on the couple.
When family members and neighbours eventually gained access to the residence, Symphorosa was found dead on the marital bed.
The prosecution told the court that his abdomen had been cut open and his genitals severed and placed in his hand.
Medical evidence
The prosecution relied heavily on forensic and medical evidence to establish how Symphorosa died.
Pathologist Dr John Soyemi testified that the deceased suffered massive internal blood loss estimated at about 3.5 litres. According to his evidence, the fatal injuries were caused by damage to blood vessels in the mesentery, the tissue supporting the intestines, after a deep knife wound to the abdomen.
The defence also argued that Otike-Odibi had attempted to take her own life after killing her husband.
However, Dr Booyemi Oyeneyin, who treated her at Safeway Hospital on the morning of the incident, testified that the six wounds found on her abdomen were superficial.
The doctor said the injuries did not penetrate her internal organs and were consistent with what he described as hesitation-type wounds.
The prosecution used the medical evidence to challenge the claim that Otike-Odibi had been involved in a mutual attack or had genuinely attempted suicide.
Defence challenges confession
Otike-Odibi’s defence team, led by Oluseye Banjoko, challenged the admissibility of statements she made to detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.
The defence argued that the statements should be rejected because they were not video-recorded and were not made in the presence of a lawyer, citing provisions of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law and the 1999 Constitution.
The prosecution countered that the statements were voluntary and that their admissibility should be determined under the applicable provisions of the Evidence Act.
In a ruling delivered on April 11, 2019, Justice Adedayo Akintoye rejected the defence’s objection and admitted the statements as evidence.
The court held that the absence of a video recording or legal representation did not automatically render a voluntary statement inadmissible.
Mental-health argument rejected
The defence also sought to establish that Otike-Odibi was not in a sound mental state when the incident occurred.
But the prosecution’s forensic evidence, witness testimony and circumstances surrounding the killing were relied upon to establish that she understood her actions.
