I Thought I Was Actually Killing Goat When I Was Matcheting My Wife-Suspect

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

A 63-year-old man, Oluwatubosun Dahunsi, has told a Magistrate court sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital, that he actually thought he was killing a goat when he was matcheting his wife, Funmilayo, before she died.

Dahunsi, who is facing one count charge of murder before Chief Magistrate, Charity Adeyanju was said to have used cutlass to matchete his wife to death on October 5, 2019 at about 6:30am, at Ita-Ipele Camp, via Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

When the court asked the accused person if the victim (Funmilayo) did not cry for help during the assault and why he did not stop after the first cut.

He replied, “She cried for help. But at the point of matcheting her, her cry sounded like that of a goat. So, I thought I was actually killing a goat. It was after killing her that my eyes became clear and I ran away.

“I don’t understand how it all happened. Please have mercy on me.”

The accused person, who had no legal representation, begged the court for mercy, saying he was only aware of what he had done after he had committed the act.

The accused person said, “We only had quarrel over our children school fees. I never knew when I matcheted her. It was after she died that I realized what I had done. Please have mercy on me and help me beg my children.”

According to him, the victim already bore him five children. He said the eldest child, who was present in court is 22 years old, while the youngest is 8 years old.

The charge sheet read that: “You, Dahunsi Oluwatubosun, ‘m’ on October 5, 2019 at about 6:30am at Ita-Ipele Camp via Owo in the Ondo Magisterial District unlawfully matcheted your wife, Funmilayo Dahunsi ‘f’ on her two hands, head, stomach, neck and her jaw with cutlass to death and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 316 and punishable under section  319(1) of the Criminal Code Cap. 37 Volume 1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.”

The police prosecutor, Sergeant, Suleiman Abdulateef, told the court that he had filed an application for the remand of the accused person in prison custody pending the  advice from the office of the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP).

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, granted the prayer of the prosecutor and ordered the remand of the accused person in the Olokuta Prison Correctional Center, pending the advice from the DPP.

Adeyanju adjourned the case till January 13, 2020.