Carpenter lands in prison for pouring acid on former lover, rival

For pouring acid on his former girlfriend, Aishat Adefarati, and rival, Mansur Ahmed, a 32-year-old carpenter, Onyekachi Agu, was today convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour.

Agu was jailed by the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja, presided over by Justice Oyindamola Ogala after finding him guilty as charged.

Delivering her judgment, Justice Ogala found Agu guilty of a count charge made against him by the Lagos State government (LASG).

The trial judge held that the prosecution proved the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt. 

It would be recalled that the LASG had alleged that the defendant committed the offence on July 3, 2020, at Gangare Hotel, Mile 12, Lagos, with a revelation that the convict had traced the two complainants to a hotel and poured the acid on them.

According to the LASG, Agu's offence offends the provision of Section 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

But the judge declared that the case of the prosecution is premised on circumstantial evidence, as the victims had said they did not see his face when he poured the corrosive substance as they were sleeping when he poured it through the window of the hotel.

Justice Ogala said, “Pouring corrosive substance on the victims was never contradicted by the defendant. 

“The action of the defendant was considered intentional. The victim showed the court, the level of the effect of the corrosive substance which damaged his body, face, eyes, neck, and even the money in his pocket.

“The PW2's (Adefarati) testimony before the court was how she had been harassed and assaulted by the defendant, which later led to their separate ways after three years of their relationship. She said she has been trying to avoid him.”

The court further held that the prosecution claimed that the scar on the left arm of the defendant was sustained during the attack. 

Justice Ogala said that the law is trite on the circumstantial evidence as well as the confessional statement of the suspect. 

The court declared that the retraction of the defendant’s confessional statement was meant to deceive the court, having pleaded guilty at his arraignment before a lower court.

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