A 41-year-old man identified as Mr. Joseph Ajasa, has reportedly stabbed his wife, Toyin, to death during a heated fight in their house located at Iyana-Ado Road in Owode, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Ajasa, who was a local hunter was said to have abandoned the weapon in Toyin’s body before he fled the scene as soon as he realised that she was dead.
However, 5 days later, his lifeless body was spotted dangling from a tree in his farm located at Agueyo which is close to his hometown, Ajilete village, about six kilometres from Owode town.
Some police officials from the Owode police division were said to haveeveacuated the woman’s corpse from the scene a few hours later, along with the knife that was still stuck in her thigh.
Ajasa’s immediate elder brother, Mr. Olaoluwa Ajasa, told Daily Sun that he was still in shock, as he was unable to come to terms with why his brother was involved in such a devilish act.
According to him, he was informed about the tragic incident via a telephone call from his sister who lives at Owode.
He said, “When I got to their house, I could not find out exactly what happened between my brother and his wife.
“Their neighbours gave me different information and I could not hold on to any of them. It is sad that both of them are dead and could not speak for themselves. Most of their immediate neighbours are northerners and could not provide details of the incident.
“When my sister called me that afternoon of May 14 and informed me about the incident, I thought I was daydreaming until I got there and saw a crowd of sympathizers in their house. It is sad and the entire family is mourning.
“It is something I cannot explain till date. It shook our family and we are still asking what could have led Joseph to kill his wife and also take his own life. I knew him well because we grew up together.
“He was not somebody that could kill a fellow human being for whatever offence committed against him. He was a gentleman that always minded his business. That is the reason I am shocked and confused about how everything played out. The two incidents were more of mysteries.
“His three children are young and living with their mother’s relatives in Lagos. The eldest of them is about 15 years. How to take care of the children is a burden now for all the family members.”
He further disclosed that he made efforts to locate his late brother after he was reported missing in his bid to hear from the horse’s mouth on why he murdered his wife.
They were shocked to discover his decomposing remains after a five days of intense search by both the police and his family members.
The deceased was later buried in his farm where he committed the suicide while some facts about conditions which possibly led to his suicide mission were revealed.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a neighbour said the deceased had received over a N100, 000 from a thrift cooperative and kept it in his wife’s possession.
Some weeks later, when he requested for the money, his wife could not produce it and claimed that she had spent the money to treat a health condition that arose after a recent beating she received in the hands of her husband.
She also told her husband that she suffered a miscarriage due to the severe beating she previously received from him.
The man got infuriated by his wife’s explanation and engaged her in a fresh fight which eventually turned out to be the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
Additionally, a female neighbour disclosed that the couple was having a cat-and-mouse relationship.
According to her, when the last fight broke out, those living within the vicinity felt it was another round of their incessant fights.
Although some neighbours went to the scene when the fight became more serious but unfortunately, the woman had been stabbed in many parts of her body and she was writhing in a pool of her own blood before they arrived.
The matter was reported at Owode Police Station and the policemen drove to the scene but they only met the woman’s corpse, with the knife stuck in her thigh.
Another neighbour said the man also accused his wife of adultery although the woman always denied the allegation.
He said, “We heard the man shouting at the woman, that she had been cheating on him. Everybody in the neighbourhood knew that they always quarreled, but we never expected that this very one would lead to deaths.
“Whenever they fought, they would settle the matter even if nobody intervened. May be it was Satan that used the man, or the woman really offended him.”
It was gathered that the remains of the woman had been released by the police to her family members. She has since been buried in her hometown in Ilesa, Osun State.
