Late Olaide & Alleged Killer Boyfriend (Abuchi)
Parents of Olaide Bournes, who was allegedly killed by her lover, are in agony and they want justice to take its course.
Tears
welled up the eyes of Mrs. Bournes as she welcomed our correspondent to
her Aguda, Ogba residence. There were a few sympathisers outside the
house, who came to comfort the Bournes family.
A
few days earlier, Bournes had lost her daughter, Olaide, a part-time
business administration student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, who was
allegedly killed by her lover, Abuchi Cyril.
Initially,
Mrs. Bournes was too heavy-hearted to talk about her loss, especially
as the continued arrival of sympathisers reinforced the reality of her
22-year-old daughter’s demise.
Although
there was nothing to suggest that she was walking to her death on the
day she died, Olaide was reluctant to leave home, repeating the same
house chore several times and taking a long time to dress up. She had
planned to see her alleged killer, Abuchi, in his house and later head
for a branch of an old generation bank to open an account in which her
first salary would be paid.
She
worked as a contract staff with a popular confectionery firm in Ikeja,
Lagos State and she was expected to resume by 3pm on that fateful day.
Mrs. Bournes described her late daughter as a very quiet and peace-loving person whose death has created a big vacuum in the family.
She
said, “She was always eager to assist others. Olaide hated argument or
anything that will lead to a fight and she was never happy seeing people
exchanging words. The day she died, we were together talking outside
the house because I was waiting for the sanitation exercise to end so
that I could display my wares. I am a trader and we observe sanitation
every Thursday. Later, she went inside to get dressed and her phone
rang. I had her phone with me so I rushed inside to give it to her. She
told me it was Abuchi who was calling and that she wanted to see him
before going to work. She said Abuchi was leaving for Malaysia during
the week and had asked her to come so that they could celebrate before
his departure.”
She
added that before the deceased left home that day, she told her she
would go to the bank to open an account where her first salary would be
paid.
“She
started working with the confectionary company on January 28 and was
yet to get her first salary. They were told to provide their account
details and many of her colleagues who had done so had been paid. She
filled the form a day before the incident,” Bournes stated amidst tears.
But
expectation of joy turned sorrow when, a few hours after her daughter
left home, Mrs. Bournes noted changes in the way people were relating
with her. She later learnt that Olaide was rushed to a nearby hospital
where she died after she was allegedly beaten by Abuchi.
It
was not the first time Olaide’s boyfriend had abused her. Mrs. Bournes
confirmed that there were times when her daughter would return home
sullen after visiting Abuchi. She recalled that she met Abuchi for the
first time at a hospital where her daughter had gone to receive
treatment for malaria.
“I
asked my daughter who he was and she told me he was her friend. I
remember that he sat looking as I questioned my daughter about his
identity. Olaide used to tell me that the guy was fond of beating her
and I warned her to be careful and desist from seeing him. But she would
reply that they had settled whatever the problem was.”
Our
correspondent gathered that the deceased and Abuchi had been dating for
over three years before the final fatal meeting. It was also learnt
that Abuchi, who lives close to the deceased’s house with his parents,
often accused the late Olaide of cheating on him.
Abuchi,
said to be popular in the area, was alleged to have beaten Olaide
during an argument after which she hit her head against the ground in
the suspect’s room and became unconscious. The suspect later went to the
Area G Police Command to hand himself over to the police. He was
subsequently detained.
The
deceased’s father, Akindele Bournes, who was visibly distressed as he
spoke to our correspondent, said he was shocked to learn that Abuchi
attends the same church with him.
He
stated, “I never knew that the suspect attends the same church with my
family. At the close of service every Sunday, he would call my late
daughter to tell her that he sat beside me in the church. I know that my
daughter has been killed but the manner of her death was painful. I
cannot believe that I have lost my girl. She was a source of joy to me. I
want justice to be done. When I was at the Area G Police Command and
the suspect was brought out for me to see. I was shocked when he said he
knew me in the church.”
Olaide’s
elder sister, Olabisi, said she would miss everything about her late
younger sister. “I miss everything about my sister. Is it her smiles,
jokes, beauty, gentle nature or caring attitude that I will forget? We
did everything together being the only two around since our other
sibling is not in Nigeria. She would joke about my choice of clothes and
tell me what to put on and what not to. I would then tease her by
saying ‘big girl.’ Her hearty smile to my taunt often made me laugh
happily. I cannot believe she was gone forever,’’ she state.
The
late Olaide’s friends in school, who paid the family a visit, were
unable to hold back their tears. President of the institution’s
students’ union, Mr. Udechukwu Ifeanyichukwu, said his first encounter
with the late Olaide was in 2012 when she mistakenly stepped on him on
the campus.
He
said, “I told her she stepped on me and her response was so awesome. I
didn’t forget the episode because I was moved by her apologies which was
warm and courteous.
“Since
then, I took notice of her and got to know that she was a very nice
person. She was quiet and friendly. It is so painful that such a lady so
full of hopes and promises could die so cruelly,” said Ifeanyichukwu.
When
contacted on the telephone, the Deputy Police Public Relations
Officers, Lagos State Police Command, Damascus Ozoani, said the case had
been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba,
Lagos.
He said, ‘‘The suspect has been moved to the State CID where further investigation is currently ongoing on the case.’’
Source: Punch Nigeria
As a guy, I not in support at all with guys who raise their hands on their lovers, it disgust me. RIP Olaide
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