Man Kills Stepfather With Pestle after scuffle over Cake

ALEX MOMOH

The Lagos police have launched a manhunt for a 30-year-old man, Seyi Okanlawon, for allegedly clubbing his stepfather, Alex Momoh, 63, to death in the Ilupeju, Mushin area of Lagos State. Seye hit the victim with a pestle in the head and leg after a disagreement over a cake made by his sister, Moyo Okanlawon. The incident happened on Railway Line, Ilupeju, Mushin area.

The deceased, who worked as a driver in a cosmetics company, had eight children from three women, before marrying his fourth wife, Lola.

Lola also had had four children from a previous marriage before marrying the Edo State indigene. Among the children were Seye and Moyo, who were both married.

Moyo, however, moved into the Ilupeju residence of the Momohs after her husband’s apartment was reportedly demolished.

Trouble started on Wednesday after Alex reported to Lola, a trader, that Moyo had placed a piece of cake on his bed where he wanted to sleep. Moyo, in turn, reported to his brother, Seye, who was on a visit at the time.

The suspect was alleged to have grabbed a pestle with which he hit the victim in the head and leg. Alex was said to have passed out as blood drained from his body. The victim was later rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba, where he died.  The matter was said to have been reported at the Ilupeju Police Division.

Osagie, 19, one of the children of the deceased, said the incident happened around 7pm. He said, “It was between 6pm and 7pm. My sister (Moyo) complained to Seye after my father reported her to mum. He then started abusing my father, who ignored him and went to his room. But Seye followed him inside and picked a pestle with which he hit him in the head and blood started coming out. He became unconscious and we rushed him to a hospital.”

However, Lola claimed that the incident happened late in the night, adding that their neighbours were fast asleep and could not intervene.

She said, “I am a trader and I have my shop opposite the house. I had four children before I married him. He had three wives and they all had children for him. On that day, my husband had gone to work in the morning and returned around 5.30pm. At about 10.30pm, he came to my shop and reported that my daughter placed a cake on his bed where he wanted to sleep. Seye was sitting beside me when Alex came to report and he scolded his sister for disrespecting my husband. Moyo then explained to him that the mattress had been taken out when she placed the cake on the bed. My husband went inside his room and Seye followed him in and started abusing him. Osagie, the son I had for my husband, challenged Seye for abusing his father, and he (Seye) picked the pestle and started chasing him with it. He (Osagie) ran away.”

She added that she later went inside the room and saw that Alex had a swollen head and she was informed that her husband was injured during a scuffle with the suspect.

Lola said she poured water on his head to resuscitate him, and when it failed, he was rushed to a private hospital before being transferred to LUTH.

“Osagie was not around when the incident happened and our neighbours had slept off,” she added.

A daughter of the deceased, Joy, said that the family had already buried the deceased, as the prime suspect had fled.

“Immediately it happened, the man fled and he has not been seen since then. We still want justice for our father and we want the police to get the suspect arrested,” she added.

A police source, however, said that the family was not interested in pursuing the case, which was why they did not allow an autopsy to be conducted on the corpse before burial.