Akolade Arowolo after found guilty sentenced to death by hanging for killing his banker wife

Arowolo Akolade, the man who stabbed his banker wife to death on Friday June 24, 2011 after a domestic dispute at their home in Isolo, Lagos, has been found guilty of her murder and has been sentenced to death.

Akolade appeared before trial judge Justice Lateefat Okunnu of the Ikeja High Court this morning Friday Feb. 21 and was found guilty on one-count of murder. The judge said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that he killed his wife.

“I pronounce the defendant guilty and accordingly sentenced to death,” Justice Okunnu pronounced. Akolade burst into tears after the verdict was read.

Akolade and Titilayo had been married for only two years and had a young daughter when he brutally attacked her with a knife on his birthday after they argued. Arolowo claimed in court that Titi had attacked him with the knife and eventually turned the knife on herself. The court didn’t subscribe to his story. See his narration below...

“I did not kill my wife, I never thought of it, I would never have done that as I am not that kind of person.I loved my wife so much to want to see her hurt. And that's why I did all I could to ensure we stayed together. I loved my wife and my daughter, Olamide so much.

“That day she died was my birthday. I see birthdays as a new year in one’s life and I usually pray at the early hours of that day. I prayed till 3am but was woken by my wife’s kiss. We had sex for almost two hours and it was very good as we hadn’t done such in a while.We later prayed and talked about how we could improve on our relationship as well as business opportunities.”

While narrating the events on the day his wife died, Akolade said it was his wife that attacked him with a knife while he was trying to give her the phone to take her sister’s (Folake) call.

He said he was caught unawares and tried all he could to avoid the stabs and take the knife from her but she only continued to lash out at him. “I was trying to regain my balance and was shouting, ‘Omo, what's wrong with you.’ But rather than answer me, she was shouting, ‘I will kill you and kill myself.’The woman was possessed that day and while we were quarreling, she went into the kitchen and brought out a knife with which she overpowered me and then began to stab me all over my body and head

“The next thing I saw, she started stabbing herself repeatedly with the knife while telling me that she was tired of the marriage and that since I did not want to let her go, she will kill me and then kill herself.We have been having issues since the day we got married so much so that I have contemplated divorcing her but because I am a spiritual person and church I pastor, I decided to manage.

“I am now regretting that decision because I should have been bold enough to divorce her and then face the consequences instead of this mess I have found myself.”