A 19-year-old boy identified as Toluchukwu Anosike, from Enugu State has killed his friend, Nonso Monyasa, 15, during a scuffle for seat at the Abule Egba area of Lagos State.
Both the suspect and the victim were said to be sales apprentices on Layi Padeola Street, and had been friends for two years.
However, their friendship turned sour on Sunday, May 10, 2015 when Monyasa, an indigene of Imo State reportedly punched Anosike’s lap in a playful manner while asking for his seat.
Anosike was said to have found the act offensive and it further escalated into a serious argument.
During the process, Anosike allegedly punched Monyasa on his stomach which led to his death in less than one hour.
The suspect felt so remorseful and pleaded for forgiveness while explaining that he only punched his friend once during one of their numerous ‘playful fights’.
Meanwhile, Anosike was immediately rounded up by police operatives in the area.
In a statement, the suspect said, “I have always lived in the village. My father died when I was in primary five.
“When I finished my secondary school in the village in 2013, my brother, Anayo, brought me to Lagos so I could learn a trade.
“I met Nonso (Monyasa) here when I started work as a sales apprentice and we became good friends. But on Sunday, Ejike, who was Nonso’s boss, came to pick a seat in my shop and asked Nonso to take my seat for himself.”
He said Monyasa punched his lap and asked him to release his seat to him but he was refused only to check his phone which was inside his trouser pocket to discover that it had gone off.
He continued, “I told him my phone had developed a fault because of the punch he gave me, but he walked away.
“I went back to my seat and told him the next time he did that, I would beat him up. He said I could not beat him.
“He came and hit me with blows, and I gave him a punch in the stomach. He held his belly and went inside their shop.
“We were playing that day. I did not have any intention of killing him.”
Monyasa’s boss identified simply as Ejike reportedly took him home when his condition worsened but after about 30 minutes, the victim was driven back to the shop, where the suspect was also picked up en route to the hospital.
A cousin to the deceased, Ifeanyi Nwokemodo, told Punch that the doctor confirmed that Monyasa died from internal bleeding.
He said his family had been informed in the village and they were not willing to pursue a case against the suspect.
Confirming the incident, the state police image maker, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said the police was aware of the incident, adding that the case had been transferred to the the Criminal Investigation Department.
