Actor, Temitayo Ogunbusola, has been charged with murder for fatally stabbing his neighbor Oladotun Osho with a knife after an argument over the payment of a N1,000 energy bill.
The narration was given before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kazeem Oladimeji of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Lagos.
ASP Oladimeji informed the court that he and other members of his team looked into a murder case involving the defendant while being led in evidence by the state’s prosecutor, Adebanke Ogunde, during the resumed proceedings.
According to ASP Oladimeji, who testified in court, Temitayo Ogunbusola, the defendant in the alleged murder case, was transferred to him on May 28, 2022.
Joshua Osho, the complainant in the case, volunteered a statement, according to him, and the defendant did too after being warned.
He claimed that Ogunbusola, the defendant, had accepted guilt.
According to ASP Oladimeji, the event took place at 4 Sebil Kazeem Street in the Ikotun neighborhood of Lagos State.
He added that an investigation at the residence where the incident occurred established that there had been a miscommunication regarding a NEPA bill that led to violent altercation.
He explained: “The defendant brought out a knife and chased the deceased to a nearby street where he was stabbed.”
The investigation, according to him, showed that Ogunbusola, a tenant at No. 4 Sebil Kazeem Street, Ikotun, Lagos, had not been collaborating with the landlord and other tenants, and as a result, a number of fights frequently took place on the property.
According to him, Ogunbusola stabbed the dead with a knife, causing a knife wound.
The court was informed by Inspector Ojo Israel of Force No. AP 244299, another investigator, that the accused admitted to stabbing the victim.
According to him; “On 15th May, 2020, at about 1900hours, the case was reported that someone stabbed another around Ikotun-Egbe.
“When we reached there, they directed us to an hospital.
“We met Temitayo on the ground in front of the hospital because he wanted to escape and he was holding the knife with the blood, he also sustained some injuries.’’
During his inquiry, he said he discovered that the complainant, the dead, and the defendant were all residing in the same flat and claiming to be having a problem with a NEPA bill that was only worth N1,000.
The complainant’s statement, the defendant’s statement, the deceased’s photo, a hospital index card, a coroner form, information about police investigation efforts, and a copy of the COVID-19 test were all presented to the court by the state’s attorney, Ogunde.
The judge accepted all of the documents as proof.
During the witness’s cross-examination, the defense attorney, Wale Ademoyega, questioned why the police did not respond adequately when the defendant and other inmates brought their dispute to the Ikotun Police Station.
Inspector Ojo retorted that the Station Officer had informed him about the event, but he added that the officer had advised them to make amends.
Upon being questioned about whether he was aware that the defendant had returned to inform them at the station that he was not permitted to enter the house, he said he was not informed.
For the purpose of continuing the trial, the matter has been postponed to January 17 and 18, 2023.
