FRIEND OF LEKAN SHONDE SAYS RONKE’S LOVER HAS APOLOGISED TO THE FAMILY (SEE)

Gbenga Sholuki, Executive Director, Campaign against Impunity & Domestic Violence, who spoke to The Nation Newspaper claimed the lover of late Ronke Shonde has apologised to her husband Lekan Shonde for apparently ruining his marriage. He also alleged that the Abuja based lover had spoken to Mr Lekan over the phone.

"Even as we were coming to the police command, he has spoken with his mother-in-law to notify her that he has surrendered. The woman told him that he has done very well for her family and that though they were pained, they have forgiven him and he should not think of suicide again. He also called his wife's lover and told him he hoped he was happy now that he has destroyed his home. The man begged for forgiveness. When information came to us about what has happened, we told him to come out for the law to take its course. We have known him for a long time and he is not a violent person. We want justice. We are demanding a medical examination to ascertain what really happened. He is a family man. He cherishes his wife and says very pleasant things about her. All we want is justice. If scientific evidence proofs he killed his wife, then, he should go in for it. But what we do not like is his being condemned even before autopsy result comes out," said Sholuki

Sunday Nwobi, another friend of Lekan claimed that Mr Lekan had loved his wife so much that he even allowed her control all the finances in the house.

"At the moment he has nothing because even the money he makes was kept in an account the wife has access to. Even the ATM card is with her. Everything was under her. That's how much he loved her. He has never been violent. I have known him for the past 33 years and I can tell you that he is a gentleman. He was in the same class with my immediate younger brother who has just returned from the United States because of this matter. He attended Ikeja High School. I have been in touch with him since the ugly incident and he sent me over 70 messages threatening to commit suicide. He told me he had quarrel with his wife on alleged infidelity. He said his wife confessed she has man friend, at her place of work. Lekan told me that he caught his wife talking to the man on phone and that she went to Abuja with her lover and they spent five days together. As the wife was confessing and begging him, he said he pushed her aside and went into the room to sleep. That he didn't talk to her nor touch her because he was angry. Since he usually left the house early (5am) for work every day and returns around 8pm, he said he left that day as usual and that their eight-year-old son was the one who bolted the door, while he used his own key to lock the gate as usual. Lekan told me that he never knew anything has happened to his wife until he was called by his landlady on phone. That his landlady told him his wife had died and that he was a suspect. He said his landlady's daughter also called him. He was on his way to the house but different people called and told him to run because police were in his house and they were looking for him as the suspect. That was why he fled. But as soon as he contacted me that same day, I kept telling him to come out. His aged father also told him to turn himself in and allow the law to run its course," he said.

Fatai Owoseni, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police said that they have instructed for an autopsy to be carried out on the deceased to determine the exact cause of death.

"As you can see, he has just been brought in. It is still an allegation and the police is not the court of law to pronounce anyone guilty or otherwise. He has turned himself in. I confirm he is in our custody. We will ensure we get to the root of the matter. He shall be interrogated and investigation is ongoing. We cannot say for sure what happened but autopsy report will prove cause of death," he said.

Meanwhile, the suspect Lekan is currently being detained at the homicide unit, State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti-Yaba.