The man accused of dating late Ronke Shonde, Kayode, has denied the allegation, saying he only had a professional relationship with the deceased.
This is just as the family of the victim released Whatsapp snapshots which showed Ronke’s husband, Lekan, admitting to brutalising her, asking for God’s forgiveness and promising to stop beating her.
Our correspondent had reported that 51-year-old Lekan allegedly killed his wife at their home in the Egbeda-Idimu area of Lagos State last Thursday.
Lekan, a dockworker, had however denied complicity in the death, saying he never touched her.
He accused her of sleeping with Kayode, the general manager of a publishing company where she worked as the human resources manager.
After three days in hiding, the suspect gave himself up to the police and was taken to the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba.
PUNCH Metro learnt on Wednesday that Kayode had denied the allegation.
A close family friend, who claimed to have spoken with him, explained that he said he had always been harassed by Lekan with messages and unfounded allegations.
He said, “We spoke yesterday (Tuesday) and he completely denied anything like that. He said he had proof of the man making all kinds of allegations against him and asking him to leave his wife alone, which he had never responded to. He said he was biding his time and would make all the revelations in due time.”
It was gathered that Kayode and Ronke’s brother, Jide, who died in a ghastly motor accident in July 2015, were friends.
After the death of Jide, Kayode, who was working in Ibadan, Oyo State, was said to have been transferred to Lagos by his company.
In Lagos, he was said to have struck a friendship with Ronke because of her late brother.
Due to Ronke’s influence in the publishing company owned by her uncle, Kayode was said to have joined the publishing firm and was made the general manager.
Their friendship and the managerial positions were said to have made it possible for them to always travel and go out together.
Kayode was also said to have become close to Ronke’s uncle, who owned the firm.
It was learnt that both Kayode and Ronke had travelled to recruit new workers for the Abuja office, when the allegation of sleeping together was levelled against them.
Meanwhile, the family of Ronke has released Whatsapp snapshots, showing a conversation between Lekan and one of Ronke’s friends, Ashabi.
In a chat, he asked Ashabi to beg Ronke on his behalf, promising not to assault her again.
He also claimed that the child brought to his home was a setup, denying the paternity of the baby.
Ashabi, in one of the chats, said Ronke was already slipping into depression, urging Lekan to become a better husband and father.
She said Ronke wept while talking with her because of the constant battery and public embarrassment.
Below are excerpts of some of the chats:
Lekan: Am sick and tired. Am going crazy. Please help me out. I rest my case. Am crying as I am writing this to you. But help me to talk to her. Aburo mi (my younger sister), I don’t want to lose her. I want her in my house forever.
Lekan: Because of God, please help me. Ha, I have really offended her. May God forgive me. Please you are my saviour, help me talk to her.
Lekan: I can have plenty of sex outside, but I don’t want to fornicate again. Yes, just want my wife back. I swear to God, I will never touch her again.
Ronke’s friend: She is really broken and hurt, uncle. She said a lot. But I begged her and you have to keep showing her you are a better person, and you want your family back. It is not a day’s job uncle and you have to be patient with her and get her to trust and love you again. She is falling into depression which is more terrible.
One of Lekan’s friends, Sunday Nwaobi, said he had known him for about 33 years, adding that he had credibility and couldn’t have killed his wife.
He said, “He was my junior in secondary school and was a classmate to my immediate younger brother. My brother retired as a general manger of a brewery in America and they are best of friends. My brother is an American citizen, well travelled, and has met a lot of world leaders. I know he will never go out with somebody who does not have credibility.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the police were working on getting the result of the autopsy, adding that it would determine the command’s next line of action.
She said, “We are not in charge of the result and we can’t determine when it will be out. But I can assure you that we are on it and as soon as it is released, we won’t hide anything.”
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