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Female professor to spend rest of her life in prison for killing husband

Published

10 months ago

August 14, 2025

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

*How she tried in vain to convince court that she didn’t

Are you a chemistry professor?” the judge asked.

Yes,” Mamta Pathak replied, clasping her hand in a respectful namaste.

Draped in a white sari, glasses perched on her nose, the retired college teacher stood before two judges in a courtroom in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, speaking as if delivering a forensic chemistry lecture.

“In the post-mortem,” she argued, her voice trembling but composed, “it is not possible to differentiate between a thermal burn and an electric burn mark without proper chemical analysis.”

Across the bench, Justice Vivek Agarwal reminded her, “The doctor who conducted the post-mortem said there were clear signs of electrocution.”

It was a rare, almost surreal moment – a 63-year-old woman, accused of murdering her husband by electrocution, explaining to the court how acids and tissue reactions revealed the nature of a burn.

The exchange, caught on video during her April hearing, went viral in India and stunned the internet. But in the court, no amount of expert-like confidence could undo the prosecution’s case – a spouse murdered and a motive rooted in suspicion and marital discord.

Last month the High Court dismissed Mamta Pathak’s appeal and upheld her life sentence for the April 2021 murder of her husband, Neeraj Pathak, a retired physician.

While Pathak mounted a spirited, self-argued defence – invoking gaps in the autopsy, the insulation of the house, and even an electrochemical theory – the court found the circumstantial evidence conclusive: she had drugged her husband with sleeping pills and then electrocuted him.

In court, Mamta, a mother of two, had peered over a stack of overflowing case files, leafing through them before she grew animated.

“Sir, electric burn marks can’t be distinguished as ante-mortem [before death] or post-mortem [after death],” she argued quoting from a forensics book.

“How did they [doctors] write it was an electric burn mark in post-mortem [report]?”

Microscopically, electrical burns look the same before and after death, making standard examination inconclusive, say experts. A close study of dermal changes may reveal whether a burn was ante- or post-mortem, according to one paper.

An impromptu exchange on chemical reactions followed, with the judge probing her on laboratory processes. Mamta spoke about different acids, explaining that distinctions could be made using an electron microscope – something not possible in a post-mortem room. She tried to walk the judge through electron microscopy and different acids. Three women lawyers in the background smiled.

Mamta ploughed on – she said she had been studying law in prison for a year. Flipping through her tabbed files with stickers and quoting from forensic medicine books, she pointed to alleged gaps in the investigation – from the unexamined crime scene to the absence of qualified electrical and forensic experts at the scene of the crime.

“Our house was insured from 2017 to 2022, and inspections confirmed it was protected against electrical fire,” she said.

Mamta told the court that her husband had high blood pressure and heart disease. She stated the actual cause of death was narrowing and “calcification of his coronary arteries due to old age”. She also suggested he may have slipped and sustained a hematoma, but no CT scan was conducted to confirm this.

Neeraj Pathak, 65, had been found dead at the family home on 29 April 2021. The autopsy ruled electrocution as the cause of death. Days later, Mamta had been arrested and charged with murder.

Police had seized an 11-meter electric wire with a two-pin plug, and CCTV footage from the couple’s house. Six tablets of a sleeping pill were recovered in a strip of 10.

The postmortem report cited cardiorespiratory shock from electrical current at multiple sites as the cause of death, occurring 36 to 72 hours before the autopsy conducted on 1 May.

“But they didn’t find my fingerprints on the strip of tablets,” Mamta told the judges.

But her arguments quickly unravelled, leaving Judges Agarwal and Devnarayan Sinha unconvinced.

For nearly four decades, Mamta and Neeraj Pathak had lived a seemingly orderly middle-class life in Chhatarpur – a drought-prone district of Madhya Pradesh known for its farms, granite quarries, and small businesses.

She taught chemistry at the local government college; he was the chief medical officer at the district hospital. They raised two sons – one settled abroad, the other, sharing a home with his mother. Neeraj retired voluntarily in 2019 after 39 years as a government doctor and then opened a private clinic at home.

The incident happened during the pandemic. Neeraj was showing Covid symptoms and kept to the first floor. Mamta and her son, Nitish, stayed downstairs. Two staircases from the ground floor linked Neeraj’s rooms to the open gallery and waiting hall of his private clinic, where half a dozen staff bustled between the lab and the medical store.

The 97-page judgment stated that Mamta reported finding her husband Neeraj unresponsive in his bed on 29 April, but did not inform a doctor or the police until 1 May. Instead, she took her elder son to Jhansi – over 130km away – without clear reason, according to the driver, and returned the same evening. She claimed ignorance about how he died when she finally alerted the police.

Beneath this silence lay a troubled marriage. The judges highlighted longstanding marital discord, with the couple living apart and Mamta suspecting her husband of infidelity.

On the morning of the day he died, Neeraj had called an associate, alleging that Mamta was “torturing him,” locking him in a bathroom, withholding food for days, and causing physical injuries. He also accused her of taking cash, ATM cards, vehicle keys, and bank fixed deposit documents. Pleading for help, Neeraj’s son contacted a friend who alerted the police, who then rescued the retired doctor from what was described as “Mamta’s custody”.

The couple had even lived apart in recent times, adding weight to the court’s doubts.

Mamta had told the court she was the “best mother,” presenting a birthday card from her children as proof. She also showed photos of herself feeding her husband and snapshots with family.

Yet, the judges were unmoved. They noted that such tokens of affection didn’t erase motive – after all, a “doting mother” can also be a “suspicious wife,” they said.

Fifty minutes into her deposition, after parrying questions and defending herself against the court’s doubts, Mamta’s composure faltered for the first time.

“I know one thing… I did not kill him,” she said, her voice trailing off.

At another moment, she confessed, “I can’t take this very much more.”

Trying to ease the tension, Judge Agarwal remarked, “You must be used to this… you must be taking classes for 50 minutes in college.”

“Forty minutes, sir. But they are small children,” Mamta said.

“Small children in college? But your designation is assistant professor,” the judge pressed.

“But they are kids, sir,” she replied.

“Don’t tell us such stories,” Judge Agarwal interrupted sharply.

Mamta fought not just as a defendant, but as a teacher turning the courtroom into a chemistry lab – hoping to prove her innocence through science. Yet in the end, the cold facts proved stronger than her lessons. (BBC, excluding headline)

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NDLEA uncovers illicit drugs concealed in water purifier machines from Europe(Photos)

Published

2 hours ago

May 31, 2026

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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. Intercepts cache of military-grade ammunition in Kaduna, arrests couple for drug trafficking

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered consignments of high potency illicit drugs concealed in water purifier machines shipped to Lagos from Netherlands.
The illicit drug consignments, mainly: ketamine weighing 3kilograms and 199 grams of MDMA (Ecstasy) pills which were carefully hidden in the water purifier machines, were discovered and seized at a courier company in Lagos on Tuesday 26th May 2026.

In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives arrested a couple: Musa Sunday and Mercy Sunday, along with another suspect, Salomi Ezekiel, 38, following the seizure of 100 jumbo bags of skunk with a gross weight of 1,246 kilograms from their home at Gonin Gora area of Kaduna on Sunday 24th May. In another interdiction operation in the state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Abuja-Kaduna highway by Jere, same day, intercepted a 30-year-old suspect, Sunusi Musa, with 380 military-grade ammunition, RLA 7.62mm, going to Katsina state. The suspect and the exhibit have since been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further action.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Niger State acting on credible intelligence raided a warehouse at Gidan Kukah, Bosso LGA where 457 kilograms of skunk were recovered on Wednesday 27th May and a suspect, Godwin Zakka, 46, arrested at his Gbeganu, Minna residence in connection with the seizure.

In Enugu, operatives on patrol along Onitsha/Enugu expressway on Thursday 28th May intercepted a Taraba state-bound commercial vehicle marked JAY-158-YF. A search of the bus led to the recovery of 22,000 pills of tramadol, 100 ampoules of pentazocine and 200 grams of bromazepam while a suspect James Maigari Wisdom was arrested.

With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Government Secondary School, Adiabo, Cross River; St Patrick’s Memorial College, Wukari, Taraba; Roman Catholic Mission Nursery and Primary School, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos; and Kings Secondary School, Amawbia, Anambra state, among others.
While commending the officers, men and women of Kaduna, Niger, and Enugu Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) appreciated their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country not to rest on their laurels.

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LP Approves Dr Chibuzo Okereke As 2027 Presidential Candidate

Published

6 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Labour Party(LP) has formally presented Dr. Chibuzo Okereke as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, following what the party described as a broad-based consensus among its members and stakeholders.

The announcement was made in Abuja on Friday, May 30, 2026, with party leaders expressing confidence in Okereke’s capacity to provide the visionary leadership needed to address Nigeria’s governance and development challenges.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ken Eluma Asogwa in a statement indicated that Dr. Okereke is a renowned governance expert, policy strategist, and reform advocate whose contributions to public policy, legislative governance, and institutional development have earned him national recognition.

He currently serves as President of ERGAF-AFRICA Legislative Governance Innovation and Policy Hub, a leading policy and legislative research institution. He is also a legislative consultant to key committees and ranking members of the National Assembly, where he provides expert guidance on governance and public policy matters.

In addition, Dr. Okereke is a Resident Lecturer in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at Miva Open University, Abuja, where he is involved in training future public sector leaders and policy professionals.

A distinguished scholar, Okereke holds a PhD in Legislative Governance Studies, as well as Master’s degrees in Public Administration and Legislative Studies, both obtained with distinction

His expertise in governance, accountability, and national development has made him a respected voice on major national and international media platforms.
Beyond academia and policy advocacy, the Labour Party noted that Dr. Okereke has demonstrated a strong commitment to youth empowerment, educational advancement, and democratic reforms.

The party described him as a leader whose intellectual capacity, integrity, and dedication to public service align with its vision for a more accountable, competent, and prosperous Nigeria.

The party expressed optimism that his candidacy would inspire Nigerians seeking transformational leadership ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

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Nigerian Catholic priest convicted of sexual assault in US

Published

9 hours ago

May 31, 2026

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A Texas jury has convicted former Roman Catholic priest Anthony Odiong of sexually assaulting women to whom he provided spiritual direction, concluding a closely watched case involving allegations that he abused his position as a clergyman to pursue sexual relationships with vulnerable parishioners.

The jury, comprising eight women and four men, found Odiong, 57, guilty of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault involving two women who testified during the trial in Waco.

Odiong, who pleaded not guilty, now faces a possible life sentence on the first-degree charge. Sentencing proceedings are scheduled to begin Monday before the same jury. The second-degree convictions each carry potential prison terms ranging from two to 20 years, The Guardian reports.

Jurors deliberated for about two hours before returning their verdict.

The case initially included allegations involving a third woman, but prosecutors Ryan Calvert and Liz Buice dropped that portion of the case after the complainant, described as being in an “extremely emotionally fragile” state, did not appear in court to testify. Prosecutors said they chose not to compel her appearance, citing her “extremely tenuous” emotional condition.

According to courtroom accounts, Odiong showed little visible reaction as Judge Thomas West read the verdict. He reportedly looked straight ahead during the proceedings before lowering his head as deputies escorted him from the courtroom.

The prosecution stemmed from allegations first brought to public attention in February 2024 by a group of women who accused Odiong of sexual coercion, unwanted touching and abusive financial control while serving as a Catholic priest in Texas and later in Louisiana.

One of the complainants, identified by the pseudonym Mary Doe, later presented a copy of a media report detailing the allegations to Waco police and accused Odiong of assaulting her over three years beginning in 2008.

Investigators subsequently identified a second complainant, known as Jane Doe, who also alleged abuse during the same period while Odiong served in the Waco area. Authorities said additional reports from other women helped establish probable cause for his arrest and prosecution despite the age of the allegations.

During the trial, Mary Doe testified that Odiong initiated a long-term sexual relationship with her while acting as her spiritual adviser as she navigated a difficult divorce and cared for seven children. She and one of her sons told jurors that the child once discovered them having sexual intercourse in her bedroom following a family gathering.

Jane Doe testified that she sought spiritual guidance from Odiong while trapped in an abusive marriage. She alleged that he pressured her to permit sexual acts with her husband that she found painful and then required her to discuss the encounters with him. Prosecutors argued that such conduct constituted sexual assault under Texas law even though Odiong was not directly involved in the sexual activity.

Both women said they met Odiong while he served at St Peter Catholic Center in Waco, a church frequented by students and employees of Baylor University. Their former husbands were Baylor employees, placing them within Odiong’s pastoral reach.

Jurors also heard evidence that DNA testing established Odiong had fathered a child in 2023 with a woman identified as Presley Jones, whom he had counselled spiritually while serving as pastor of St Anthony of Padua Church in Luling, Louisiana.

Although Odiong was not charged in connection with Jones because Louisiana lacks a law similar to Texas’ clergy sexual assault statute, prosecutors argued that the child demonstrated a pattern of sexual relationships with women he met through his ministerial work.

Expert witnesses told the court that clergy members bear responsibility for maintaining professional and spiritual boundaries with those under their care. Jurors also heard testimony regarding the Catholic Church’s requirement that priests remain celibate.

The defence called only one witness, a former parishioner, who testified about Odiong’s character and recalled attending a 2011 gathering at Mary Doe’s home. Under cross-examination, however, the witness acknowledged that Odiong’s conduct fell short of expectations for a religious leader.

Odiong, a naturalised United States citizen, was ordained a Catholic priest in 1993 in his native Nigeria. He was transferred to the Austin Diocese region, which includes Waco, in 2006 under then-Bishop Gregory Aymond.

After studying in Rome, Odiong moved to Luling in 2015, by which time Aymond had become Archbishop of New Orleans.

Church officials in Austin later said they suspended Odiong from ministry in 2019 over allegations involving multiple women. The suspension was not publicly announced at the time, though officials said New Orleans church leaders were informed. Archbishop Aymond did not publicly disclose a similar suspension in New Orleans until late 2023.