A 54-year-old man, Eseni Chima, was arraigned on Tuesday at the Abakaliki Magistrate’s Court for allegedly killing his wife, Ugochukwu Chima. He faces a charge of murder.
The court’s magistrate, Chinedu Agama, did not take Chima’s plea due to lack of jurisdiction. The magistrate instructed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for further guidance and adjourned the case until December 31 for further proceedings.
Prosecutor Emmanuel Monday informed the court that the incident occurred on September 4 at 60 Ogbaga Road, Kpirikpiri, in Abakaliki Local Government Area, Ebonyi. He stated that Chima allegedly beat his wife with iron rods, leading to her death. The offense is punishable under Section 319 (1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 33, Volume 1, Laws of Ebonyi, 2009.
Defense attorney Daniel Onuoha requested bail for the defendant, but the court declined due to its lack of jurisdiction over the matter.
