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On March 20, Ikechukwu Ogbonna, popularly known as IVD, an auto dealer, was arraigned in a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over the alleged manslaughter of his late wife, Abimbola. Abimbola died in October 2022 in a fire incident at their residence in Lekki, Lagos State. The Lagos State government charged IVD with one count of involuntary manslaughter under Section 229 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, in suit No LD/21055C/23.
During the proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, Adeshola Bello, informed the court of a mix-up in the date the alleged offence was committed. Bello stated that the date in the records was October 10, but it was actually October 12. The prosecution counsel requested that the court grant permission to amend the error, and the court granted the request.
IVD pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him, and his lawyer, Victor Ogunde, SAN, requested bail for the defendant. However, the judge asked why the bail application was being brought forward since the defendant had been on bail since March 1. The defense counsel replied that the suit against his client had a different charge number.
The case has been closely followed by the public and the media, with many speculating about the circumstances surrounding Abimbola's death. The prosecution is expected to present evidence that will prove IVD's guilt, while his defense team will argue that he is innocent of the charges.
This tragic incident caused shockwaves across Nigeria as Abimbola was a well-respected member of the community, and the couple had been married for several years. Abimbola was a successful businesswoman in her own right, and her death was a significant loss to the Lekki area.
