An Ikeja High Court on Thursday fixed Dec. 4 for the adoption of final written addresses in the trial of Akolade Arowolo, charged with the murder of his wife, Titilayo.
Justice Lateefat Okunnu also granted Arowolo’s counsel, Mr Olarenwaju Ajanaku, an extension of time to file his written address.
She directed the state prosecutor, Mr Femi Adamson, to file his reply to the written address within five days after being served by the defence.
Arowolo, 31, was charged to court for allegedly stabbing his wife, a banker, to death.
He was arraigned on Dec. 21, 2011, on a one-count charge of murder and had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The accused was, thereafter, remanded in Ikoyi Prison.
The Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) alleged that the accused murdered Titilayo on June 24, 2011, at their residence at No. 8, Akindeinde St., Isolo, Lagos.
The prosecution closed its case against the accused on Nov.19, 2012, after calling 12 witnesses.
The witnesses included the father of the deceased, George Oyakhire and her step-mother, Adetoun, who had testified that the Arowolo’s marriage was characterised by domestic violence.
Another witness, Prof. John Obafunwa, a Consultant Pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State, had also testified that Titilayo was stabbed 76 times.
However, Arowolo, who testified before the court on May 22, had blamed his in-laws for the trouble in his marriage.
He had denied the allegation that he murdered his wife.
Arowolo claimed that Titilayo died after accidentally falling on a knife she was using to stab him during a quarrel on his birthday.
