Wrestling champion, Power Uti arraigned over wife’s death, faces death sentence

A former world wrestling champion, John Eke Uti a.k.a. Power Uti, has been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly killing his wife, Toyin.

Uti, 55, was brought before Magistrate Bola Folarin-Williams on Tuesday, on a two-count charge bordering on murder and disrespect of corpse.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Jimah Iseghede, had disclosed in court that the accused perpetrated the offences on Oct. 10 about 10.25 p.m. at No. 17, Oremeji St., Ilupeju, Lagos.

Iseghede claimed that Uti beat his 38-year-old wife, Toyin, to death and abandoned the corpse in a room to rot.

Upon assessment of the case file, Magistrate Folarin-Williams said she found nothing neither in the accused’s statement nor the police probe to indicate that the accused killed his wife.

The magistrate hence nullified the remand application brought by the police.

Consequently, she granted Uti bail of N500,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum, who must be blood relations and also work with reputable organisations.

She ruled that the case file be duplicated and a copy forwarded to the State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

The case has been adjourned until Nov. 15.

The offences Uti has been alleged of, contravened Sections 165(a) and 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Meanwhile, Uti was first taken to Ilupeju Police Station before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department for further investigation.