Funke Busari, Lagos
Two witnesses are pointing accusing fingers at a couple Mr and Mrs. Stephen as the killers of their maid, Joy Okom Adole, during the COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020.
The deceased’s uncle, Mr. Elijah Isiegbe O. and a lady Blessing Inaka Oyikoro who brought the deceased to work in Lagos made the accusation before the trial judge, Justice Oyindamola Ogala, at the Lagos State High court, Ikeja on Thursday.
While separately being led in evidence, the witnesses said that the deceased couldn’t have committed suicide as claimed by the couple.
In Mr. Elijah’s testimony, he told the court that when he inquired from Mr.Stephen about how Joy Okom Adole died on the 20th April, 2020, he said the 2nd defendant, ‘Mr. Steve’ narrated that his wife found some stolen items including Indomie in the possession of their maid.
He explained to the Court that Mr. Stephen’s wife (Mrs. Nene Favour Stephen) showed the items to “me on phone.”
He said the couple told him that the lady committed suicide and that the body has been deposited in the mortuary.
While at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Panti, Elijah claimed he noticed pictures of the scene of the supposed suicide with the police and what he saw depicted the deceased hanging down from the ceiling with her feet touching the floor.
He also said he observed marks on her body showing that she was beaten to death.
Blessing on her part told the court that though Mrs. Stephen and Joy had not been getting on well, she said at a point the deceased left home but the restriction on vehicular movement during the lockdown, made her returned to her place of employment.
She said the deceased told her on phone that she would work till the end of the month so she could collect her full salary.
She however explained that on the 20th of April at 7:00a.m, Mr. Steve called her asking for her account number that they want to transfer Joy’s salary and asking for her own details too.
She said she declined the request and later in the day, she claimed the police called her on Mrs. Stephen’s phone informing her that Joy was dead.
The judge has however adjourned the matter till April 22, 2021 for continuation of trial.
Recall that news broke last year over the death of a maid, Joy Okom Adole in Bariga area of Lagos.
The deceased who worked for Mrs. Nene Favour Steve, her employer was found dead hanged with rope.
