For allegedly battering his wife, Linda Oladoyinbo, at their house
on Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja, a Magistrate’s Court sitting in the state
capital have arraigned a former player of the Super Eagles identified
as Godwin Okpara, who had played for the national team at the France 98
World Cup and African Nations Cup in 2000, among other tournaments.
According to a report by PUNCH Newspaper, Okpara and Oladoyinbo,
who were based in France where the former played for French club, PSG,
had been married for over 25 years, and the union blessed with four
children.
It was gathered that crisis started in the marriage in 2005 when
the wife reported to the French authorities that Okpara was sleeping
with their 13-year-old housemaid, Tina, and he was arrested and
convicted for the crime.
battered wife (Photo: starconnectmedia)
While he served a 10-year prison term and was released in 2012, his
wife got 15 years for child abuse. Although Okpara was released early
on the grounds of good conduct in prison, he forfeited all his property
and money to the French government, who also took custody of the
family’s three surviving children.
Oladoyinbo, after her release, returned to their house in Ikeja, in
May 2016. However, she was said to have met some persons in the house,
which led to an argument between her and the husband.
Oladoyinbo, who wrote a petition to the police at the Zone 2 Police
Command, Onikan, alleged that 45-year-old Okpara later brought some
thugs into the house and ordered them to beat her up.
The attack, according to the petition, was because Oladoyinbo
questioned the partitioning and sale of the family’s landed property in
Ikeja.
Linda and her kids (Image: starconnectmedia)
One of her relatives was said to have videoed the attack and also took pictures of the injuries sustained by the victim.
Okpara, in his reaction, told the police that the fight happened
after he returned home and discovered that his wife had stabbed one of
his visitors. The case was referred to the Lagos State Directorate of
Public Prosecutions, which issued advice on it.
The advice, dated September 2017 and signed by the Director,
Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Y.G. Oshoala, said the
ex-international had a case to answer.
The advice said, “Facts in the duplicate case file revealed
that Mrs. Linda Oladoyinbo travelled to France for some time and upon
her arrival, she was denied access to her matrimonial house by her
husband– Godwin Okpara; and when she finally gained access after many
weeks, she was only allowed into the guesthouse, while her husband’s
brother and wife moved into the main house.
“Further facts revealed that Mrs. Linda Oladoyinbo questioned
Godwin Okpara about the joint property he sold without her knowledge and
he beat her mercilessly with the participation of his brother and his
wife. He equally brought thugs into the house, who beat her up with
sticks upon which she suffered internal bleeding.
“This is corroborated by a picture showing severe face injuries
suffered by the wife and the medical report from the Lagos State
University Teaching Hospital indicating that she suffered serious
injuries and was found bleeding from the nose and mouth as a result of
the assault from the husband. The attached video record from the police
clearly shows the suspect assaulting the complainant despite pleas from
other observers.”
The advice, which dismissed charges of forgery, stealing, malicious
damage and threat to life due to lack of evidence, said the suspect
should be arraigned on one count of assault occasioning harm.
The charge read, “That you, Godwin Okpara, sometime in August
2016, on Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial
District, unlawfully assaulted and injured one Linda Oladoyinbo, by
flogging her with a stick and other weapons, thereby committing an
offence punishable under Section 173, Ch C.17, Vol.3 of the Criminal Law
of Lagos State, 2015.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty and elected summary trial. His
defence counsel, Malachi Odo, asked for his bail in liberal terms.
He said, “The defendant is an ex-player of the Super Eagles. He
served his country honourably. We pray the court to grant him bail in
liberal terms.”
The police prosecutor, Simon Imohwa, did not oppose the bail application.
The magistrate, Mrs. B.O. Osusanmi, admitted him to bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
The case was adjourned till January 29, 2017.
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