Nigerian man jailed for life in UK after murder of partner
By Innocent Raphael
A Nigerian man, Olubunmi Abodunde, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Kingdom for the murder of his wife, Taiwo.
Abodunde, who used a skateboard to perform the act, attributed his loss of control to medication problems.
According to Vanguard, Abodunde, 48, residing in Exning Road, Newmarket, Suffolk, committed the crime on November 28, 2023. He confessed to causing “catastrophic brain injuries” to Taiwo, as reported by the BBC.
During the trial at Ipswich Crown Court, it was revealed that there was a significant level of brutality involved in Taiwo’s death at their family home in Exning Road.
Abodunde was then ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years in prison before being considered for parole.
The court heard that on November 27, the day before Taiwo’s death, the couple had a domestic dispute, leading to Abodunde’s arrest.
However, despite bail conditions prohibiting contact with his wife, Abodunde went to their home the following morning to retrieve a mobile phone.
Prosecutors stated that Abodunde was aware of Taiwo’s work schedule and CCTV footage confirmed her return home around 09:12 BST.
Concerned officers arrived at the property at approximately 09:20 but received no response despite hearing sounds indicative of violence. It wasn’t until 09:45, following clearance from senior police officials, that officers found Taiwo’s lifeless body with severe head injuries.
During the mitigation phase, Judge Martyn Levett expressed surprise at the fact that Abodunde took 30 minutes to locate the mobile phone once inside the house. “It seems to me that he was waiting for confrontation,” he remarked to the court, noting his perception that no confrontation was imminent.
In defense, Ms. Akudolu portrayed Abodunde as a well-respected individual in both the UK and Nigeria, where the couple had previously resided. She highlighted his past as a local councillor in Nigeria, even having a street named after him.
The court learned of the couple’s history of frequent disputes over finances, occasionally escalating to minor acts of violence. Ms. Akudolu conveyed Abodunde’s remorse, stating that he would live with the regret of causing misery every day.
However, the court noted there was no medical evidence to support this claim.
Judge Martyn Levett remarked on the brutality of the crime, stating there was no evidence of self-defense and observing a lack of remorse from Abodunde.
The defendant was therefore sentenced to life imprisonment.
